Ludowe zabobony i przesÄ dy czy racjonalne metody żywienia noworodków i niemowlÄ t w końcu XVIII i w XIX stuleciu?

The article presents opinions that prevailed among the country population, as well as physician reports regarding feeding of newborns and infants on Polish lands. This information is from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Information regarding various ways of feeding the newborns can be found in historical monographs and articles. Breast feeding by mother or a wet nurse was essential to the child's healthy development. However, for numerous reasons human milk was being substituted by animal milk, especially cow milk, horse milk and donkey milk. The folk methods of substituting mother's milk were often surprising and harmful for the baby. Moreover, according to epidemiological research of those times, medical recommendations regarding the use of artificial food had a significant influence on high mortality among babies.