Causes of Death in the Country: The majority of abandoned
who die, did so in the country. Disease was the most common cause
of death. However, accidents also contributed to a percentage, five
percent, of deaths ( Fuchs 217).
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Unknown Artist. La Mortalité des
enfants en bas age. From L'Illustration, December
12, 1874.
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Deaths by Accident: These deaths included burns, suffocation
by smoke, and smoldering straw (Fuchs 217). However, since the mud
or damp floors were generally wet, the inner layer of the swaddling
clothes were wet, and that it required a spark from the fire place,
these deaths did not occur often. But when they did it was usually
because they was a long period of neglect ( Fuchs 217). Hkept in
mind that the concept of nurturing care was not part of peasant
culture in the nineteenth century as it is today in the twenty-first
century. Death by burns was that most common accident deatrh, because
wet-nurses would often place hot bricks in the cradle or next to
the infant. At times, the infant would roll over and touch the brick,
and then not be able to roll away from it, resulting in a sever
and fatal burn.
Deaths by Disease: These were the most common causes of
death. The leading cause of death
was diarrhea and other gastroenteritis, which were a result of a
lack in care of feeding. These deaths accounted for almost half
of all infants deaths.
Created by Devon Hill
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