Causes. — The  quantity  of  milk  varies  greatly  in  different  women,
but  when  it  is  insufficient  for  the  nourishment  of  the  child,  the
cause  may  be  traced  to  imperfection  in  the  mother's  health,  and
measures  should,  if  possible,  be  adopted  to  correct  this,  so  that
after  a  subsequent  labor  she  may  be  able  to  furnish  the  infant
with  sufficient  milk


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SUPPRESSED   MILK — EXCESSIVE   SECRETION.  561

Treatment. — ^Agnns  Oastns,  Asafoetida,  and  China  are  more
or  less  efficacious  in  increasing  the  supply  of  milk,  the  first  two
medicines  when  the  cause  of  the  deficiency  is  andisoovered,  the
last  when  the  deficiency  is  the  result  of  hsemorrhage,  diarrhoea,
leucorrhoea,  etc.
The  external  application  of  the  castor-oil  plant  (Ricinus
Communis)  has  been  used  by  some  physicians  with  great  success.
A  strong  decoction  is  applied  hot  by  means  of  soft  rags,  and
retained  until  the  milk  is  secreted  copiously.
Accessory  Means. — Warmth  always  favors  the  secretion  of
milk.  The  diet  is  important,  and  should  be  nutritious  and
digestible.  Gk>od  cocoa  is  very  useful,  improving  the  quality  and
increasing  the  quantity  of  the  mother's  milk,  and  we  have  known
it  to  succeed  after  other  means  had  failed.  During  the  whole
period  of  nursing  this  nourishing  beverage  will  be  found  highly
conducive  to  the  health  of  both  mother  and  child.  When  the
quantity  of  milk  cannot  be  increased  to  meet  the  requirements  of
the  child,  mixed  nursing  must  be  adopted,  according  to  the  direc-
tions given  in  the  section  on  hand-feeding.  It  is  important  that
the  mother  should  suckle  her  baby  during  the  day,  and  have  it
fed  by  the  bottle  at  night  This  arrangement  permits  the  mother
to  enjoy  a  good  night's  sleep,  which  in  itself  favors  the  secretion
of  milk.
Suppressed  Milk.
