All that has been written on the choice of nurses, and the nourishment of children, is hardly anything more than a collection of prejudices.' N. BROUZET (1755) (RECEIVED FOR PUBLICATION DECEMBER 8, 1952) Infant Feeding Amongst Primitive Peoples Anthropological studies show that there is a remarkable tendency to obscure the natural method of infant feeding. This is more readily understandable when it is realized that contemporary primitive tribes are in fact highly civilized, though their form of civilization has evolved along different lines from our own. The known facts have been compiled by Ploss and the Bartels (1935) in their historical and anthropological compendium entitled 'Woman'. The more important points will be reproduced here.

'Tis customary among Nurses to attenuate the Child's food in their Mouths before they give it, and indeed 'tis true that a healthy Nurse's Spittle is of use for promoting a quick digestion: But if scorbutic Salts be lodged in her gums, or if a Cacophymy prevail in her Body, it is too apt a Vehicle for conveying a morbifical Tincture into the Child's Body.' William Cadogan's (1711-97) 'Essay upon the Nursing and Managemnent of Children from their Birth to 3 Years of Age' was written for, and subsequently published by, the General Committee of FIG. 6.-Willian Cadogan, a pioneer in infant feeding. Reproduced from 'History of Paediatrics' by Still by kind permission of the Oxford University Press.

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