The Dangers of the Baby Feeding Bottles in the Victorian Era

Patented around 1879–1880, these glass or earthenware “banjo” shaped bottles allowed babies to self-feed. Many had sweet sounding names such as “My Little Pet” and “Mummies Darling” while others were very nationalistic like “The Empire,” “The National” or “The Victorian.” Some simply advertised the chemist from which they were bought but many cashed in on the popularity of the Princess of Wales in the 1880s. Hence the most common inscriptions bore the words, “The Princess” or “The Alexandria.” However these sweet sounding names often belayed the hidden dangers of these little inconspicuous bottles. The later day nicknames “The Killer” or the “The Murderer” was indeed more apt.

The bottles were appealing to mothers as they allowed for more independence and encouraged children to feed themselves. Unfortunately, the slanted shape made the bottle very hard to clean. The rubber stopper and tubing absorbed bacteria delivering it straight into very vulnerable individuals. To make matters worse, the popular figure Mrs. Isabella Beeton outlined dangerous recommendations for nursing bottles in her publication, The Book of Household Management (1861).

“The prepared teats can be obtained at any chemist’s, and… they will require a little soaking in warm water, and gentle washing, before being tied securely, by means of fine twine… When once properly adjusted, the nipple need never be removed till replaced by a new one, which will hardly be necessary oftener than once a fortnight [14 days], though with care one will last for several weeks.”

The design and materials of the bottles, along with inadequate cleaning and care recommendations, led to the nickname “murder bottle.”

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