BABIES BORN DRUNK.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 370, 18 April 1926, Page 14

BABIES BORN DRUNK.

The statement that some babies arc born drunk, which was made at the National British Women’s Temperance Association Conference at Wembley, has actually revived medical confirmation. “When in obstetric, practice at the Royal Maternity Hospital, Edinburgh, years ago,” said Dr. Saleeby, to a reporter, “I helped in eases where babies were under the influence of alcohol. One could actually detect the smell of whisky in their breath. When mothers soak themselves with whisky it is the natural result, just as infants are affected when mothers are given chloroform. or, as in twilight sleep, they are given drugs. The children are born sleepy and heavy. You could not get such cases with beer. I entirely en dorse the statement made. Let other people undertake obstetric practice in the slums of Scotland, and they will have the experience I shall never forget.” The sister-in-charge of the British Hospital for Babies, S.E., also confirmed the statement. “We have had coses here as recently as during the war. when women earned high wages and could afford drink.”—“The (Tiristian Herald.”