he contrary,
become lean and diseased.

The belief so generally prevailing, that the longer a child is suckled
the stronger it will become, is a prejudice, like many others concerning
women and children, which has been handed down from mother to daughter
for ages, and has thereby become so universally entertained and so
deeply rooted in the minds of females, that even medical men scarcely
venture to question its propriety. My own experience, however, compels
me to declare, that there is not a more erroneous or mischievous
doctrine; and I can most truly affirm, that I never yet witnessed an
instance where protracted lactation had produced any good effect[D],
though I have seen numerous examples (some of which will be introduced
hereafter) where, I believe, it had been the indirect cause of death.

Having thus strongly noticed the impropriety of long continued
suckling, it will, perhaps, be proper to state my opinion as to the
period when this process should terminate. As a general rule, at nine
months after birth the child ought to be entirely weaned; and in no
instance should he be permitted to suck more than ten. In many cases
suckling may be relinquished with advantage (and occasionally it is
absolutely necessary to discontinue it) before the time first above
mentioned; in others, however, it may be protracted beyond it.

I by no means recommend the breast-milk to be at once superseded by
artificial food, but, on the contrary, that the child should be
_gradually_ accustomed to such aliment from a much earlier period; the
proportion of the latter being increased by degrees, while the
breast-milk is diminished in a corresponding ratio. Hence we shall
produce a double advantage; the mother will be benefited as well as the
child--the former, by giving suck less frequently, and in smaller
quantities at a time than usual, will have the secretion of milk
_gradually lessened_, and, therefore all likelihood of inconvenience, as
far as regards herself when the child is entirely weaned, will be
completely prevented; while, on the other hand, the child being
_insensibly estranged_ from the breast, will have become accustomed to
his new food, so that there will be less chance of its disagreeing with
him when it forms his sole support; and thus the danger which is
generally apprehended from weaning will be either materially lessened or
altogether avoided.

The difficulty of bringing up infants by hand, as it is termed, is well