ABSTRACT
MOTHER'S MILK AND WET-NURSES Duration of nursing-Bewitching the milk-Graco-Wallavian customs-Albanian customs-Persian customs-Nursing is the duty of the motherPaid wet-nurses-Reverence of wet-nurses among the Turks-History-
Weaning the child-Market for women's milk_
Fellah Girl
If one wishes to say a friendly word to a woman in child· bed in Palestine about her appearance, one must not forget, as Dame Lydia Einszler relates, to add numerous wish formulas, so that the praise may not be accompanied by evil results. If this is not done the woman in child·bed is in danger of acquiring a bad breast and losing her milk. Out of fear of bewitchment and envy, the mother 'keeps the child hidden from curious eyes during the first time that it rests at her breast and while it is drinking. In order not to deprive the young mother of her right to milk, they do not call the thing by its proper name. One does not ask the woman in child·bed: "Have you much milk?" but: "Kif dirtik? how is your flow?" And the young mother answers: "Fi barake, it is there for nursing." Even if a third person speaks of a woman in child·bed and her milk, he adopts the same precaution. They say: "Dirratha kanije, her flow streams." Or: "Dirratha chafife, her flow is light."
