Folks,

Decades ago, I spent a short vacation traveling to the south of France and walking through the cemetery of the town of Pont St. Esprit (The Bridge of the Holy Spirit). More than once, I was brought to tears reading inscriptions on the tombstones. Striking was how many noted the early passing of so many babies and children. One poignant example was "Notre petit ange" (Our little angel) describing a poor soul who had lived only three months.

Saturday, I was part of a group that buried the ashes of my brother-in-law on a small island off the west coast of Canada. This time, I was struck by the lack of memorials to infants. All of the inscriptions I saw were for adults.

In the midst of sadness, I had to smile at the progress that science, health, and technology have made in reducing child mortality.

While not being sure whom to thank, thank you.

Todd's bug-free keyboard

There is a cemetery by my parents house. It has a section called "Babyland" and there are Infant memorials/graves dating back 60 years.

Including my Niece's, 14 years ago.

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Eli Weisel

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

"I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham 1981

"Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise" - Barry Goldwater

Losing a child was dreadfully common until the 20th century, even for the wealthy. Any biography of a famous person from then and before seems to mention at least one child death. We dare not take this for granted.

My aunt died as an infant in 1920 (she smothered in her blankets in my grandparents’ Model T on a trip to town during a cold northern Minnesota winter’s day). It was always poignant going to burials and seeing her headstone and thinking about what could have been. It would choke my grandfather up to speak of her right up until the day he died in 1988.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

Logic tells us that infant mortality is down and that we've done a lot to achieve this. The question is, are deceased infants still being buried? Decades ago, virtually everyone was buried. Now, burial is not as common and is probably becoming uncommon.

I did the genealogy thing a few years back. The death rate of infants among my peasant ancestors was about 1/3.

The weird part was that they would reuse names.

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Embarassing myself on the Internet since 1978.

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Speedy
My aunt died as an infant in 1920 (she smothered in her blankets in my grandparents’ Model T on a trip to town during a cold northern Minnesota winter’s day). It was always poignant going to burials and seeing her headstone and thinking about what could have been. It would choke my grandfather up to speak of her right up until the day he died in 1988.

I can’t imagine how your grandfather felt about that, so sorry he had to.

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raz
I did the genealogy thing a few years back. The death rate of infants among my peasant ancestors was about 1/3.

The weird part was that they would reuse names.

The Oldest Person, and later the Oldest Man from the early 1980s thru sometime in the 2000s (from Guinness Book) was really not the oldest because it was later determined that his parents re-used his older brother's name for him after older brother died very young. There are census records and the name matches, but they re-used the name which muddied things...for 140 years.

An uncle died in the 1930s, my father's older brother. My father was about 6 at the time, and ended up an only child. I can see some of the effects it had on him. That and other family problems also resulted in him being sent to live with an aunt and uncle in the Boston area for a while. I am not certain how long he stayed there, long enough to go to school there with his cousins. After that he did go home and live with my grandparents to grow up in St Louis.

Little Boy Blue (1888)
eugene field

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket molds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamed of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.

While doing genealogy research, I have run across many death certificates of infants where the cause of death was marasmus/ failure to thrive. I can't help but think that some of these babies would have been helped by the specialized baby formulas that have lately been in short supply.

One of my great-nieces (now nearly four years old) was completely dependent on one of these formulas for her first year.

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Janit
While doing genealogy research, I have run across many death certificates of infants where the cause of death was marasmus/ failure to thrive. I can't help but think that some of these babies would have been helped by the specialized baby formulas that have lately been in short supply.

One of my great-nieces (now nearly four years old) was completely dependent on one of these formulas for her first year.

Our daughter was, too: Similac PM 60/40 Low-Iron Infant Formula. It was a bit more expensive than other formula but was prescribed by her doctor and covered by insurance!!

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

A product I love—that I've never needed or tried—is Plumpy'Nut®.

From the web site (above):

"With the creation of ready-to-use therapeutic food -Plumpy Nut®—a high-energy, micronutrient enhanced paste used to treat children under age five who are affected by severe acute malnutrition—treatment has changed dramatically."

Plumpy'Nut® does not require refrigeration. My understanding is that, in many cases, it can also be made regionally and does not need to be shipped long distances.

T's kb