"all water." Since you claim that lack of breastmilk is a family trait, perhaps your doctor will invent a new disease category entitled "famil- ial lactation failure."

Accepting for the moment the history you provided as absolute truth, let me share with you the same advice I give to mothers who everyone agrees cannot breastfeed, i.e., those who have had a bilateral mastectomy: STAY AWAY FROM INFANT FORMULA!

The deficiencies and dangers of infant formula, once carefully buried in the scientific journals, have now properly received high visi- bility in the public press. Not surprisingly, this has produced plenty of guilt in women who have not breastfed. How else should a mother re- act when she learns that the infant formula unreservedly recommended by her doctor is deficient in the very enzymes required for the normal development of the human brain? Why shouldn't a mother feel guilty when she learns her doctor did not tell her that infant formula contains the same kind of additives as candy bars? Why shouldn't a woman react when she has to learn on her own that some infant formulas have been respon- sible for serious forms of kidney disease, and that infant formula itself is associated with a disproportionately high rate of sudden infant death.

But all is not lost. Even though modern doctors have brainwashed the American public into believing that the only alternative to breast milk is commercially—prepared infant formula, that simply is not the case. Plenty of alternatives exist. Babies can be fed the same food, ground up, chopped, or pureed that appears on their parents' table.

Of course, since you must compensate for the absence of breastmilk——the perfect food—-be careful about the food you place on your own table. In some areas of our country, raw milk and goats' milk are available.

Every pediatrician knows, as a result of using soybean formulas, that infants need no animal milk at all. Indeed, pediatric experience with meat—based formulas demonstrates that babies can satisfy their nutritional requirements without any milk whatsoever.

So, while I underscore my original statement that formula milk is the granddaddy of all junk food, I would like to suggest some changes you might consider when you have your next baby:

l) Obtain your daughter's hospital records and the records of your visits to the doctor and carefully examine them to determine whether there were any obstetrical interventions (hormones, analgesics, anesthetics) which may have led to your severe hemorrhage and later infection brought on by your admittedly weakened state.

2) Find a pediatrician who knows better than to use sugar water on newborn babies, and who would point out to you that weight loss in the first few days is not at all unexpected.

3) Remember that a lO—day hospital stay, with all the hospital restrictions on mother and child interaction, practically guarantees failure in breastfeeding.

I have the highest respect for every mother, breastfeeding or not. As far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as a bad mother. But when it comes to pushing infant formula, there are plenty of bad doctors.

Male Practice: How Doctors Manipulate Women, Dr. Mendelsohn's latest book, is now available from Contemporary Books ($10.95).

The People's Doctor Newsletter Published monthly. Subscription rate: $18.00 annually. P-O- 50X 982 Robert S. Mendelsohn, MD, Editor EVHHSTO", |||iﬂ0i$ 60204 Vera Chatz, Associate Editor