—— Ferreira, aged seventeen months, died of 'Water in the head,'—suckled until its death.
For the five following cases I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. William Griffith, an intelligent surgeon of Eaton-street, who, having some time ago been apprised of my peculiar views, has since directed his attention particularly to the subject. They completely confirm my opinions, and will have more weight with the public than any additional evidence I could adduce from my own practice.
In the letter inclosing these cases, Mr. Griffith writes thus—'from the observations I have been enabled to make, I am led to believe that disease almost invariably follows protracted suckling. I may add in conclusion, that I perfectly concur with the views which you entertain on the subject.'
CASES XIV. XV.
'—— Jackson, residing at ——, aged two years six months, who had been kept at the breast twenty-two months, was in a dying state when I was requested to see her. The pulse was preternaturally slow—great stupor—dilatation of the pupils, and diastasis of the bones of the head. In six hours from the time I first saw her she died, and the mother was desirous that the head should be examined, having lost a child previously, in what she considered a similar manner. On removing the scalp I found the cranium very much enlarged and altered in shape. Between the tunica arachnoides and pia mater, there was a quantity of water effused;—the sides and upper surface of the brain were exceedingly soft. In the lateral ventricles there were from six to eight ounces of water. In answer to a few questions I asked the mother, she stated that her former child was, during the first ten months of its life, a plump, healthy infant,—after that period he altered,—the stomach, bowels, and head became affected, and, in the course of a few months, he manifested similar symptoms to those which proved fatal in the case of his sister. He was suckled for twenty-one months, and died at the age of twenty-seven months. The mother of these children has one other child alive, and at my urgent request it was weaned at nine months,—it is now seventeen months old, and in excellent health.'
CASE XVI.
'Mrs. A——, of ——, had a little boy who at ten months old had nine teeth, which were cut with little or no difficulty:—at this time he was in good health,—he was allowed the breast until nineteen months, and at the expiration of three months more, died of Hydrocephalus.'
CASE XVII.
'Mrs. T—— lost a child of Hydrocephalus, and has an infant now at the breast seventeen months old;—the little patient is frequently suffering from cerebral disturbance. I have repeatedly advised the mother to wean it—she objects, and gives the usual reason for allowing it to remain at the breast—viz., that she does it to prevent becoming again enceinte.'