The establishment of a breast-milk bank in Durban.
A breast-milk bank was established in Durban at the end of 1980 by the Christian Care organization. Breast milk is collected and frozen by registered donors and delivered to the Milk Bank at Addington Hospital, Each bottle, containing 40 ml, is tested on arrival at the Milk Bank and deep-frozen if the bacterial count is below a selected level. The fat, protein and lactose content of the discarded milk is analysed. Approximately 163 litres of milk were collected in 8 months, 15% of which was unacceptable and discarded. The chemical composition of the milk varies considerably from bottle to bottle, particularly as regards the fat content. About 90 infants needing special care have received milk from the bank. A survey of milk banks operating in other parts of the world and the results of research into the effects of heat treatment on the immunological factors in human milk are presented.
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human