'Mercenary wet-nurses': The discourse of medical doctors and portraits of the wet-nurses - Brazil in the second half of the 19th century

Abstract

The article explores the theme of wet-nurses using photographs and theses of medical doctors during the second half of the 19th century. The doctors at that time condemned the indiscriminate use of wet-nurses and tried to encourage construction of the 'new mother' image, one who ought to breast feed her own children. They approached the complexity of the feeding subject (by mother, wet-nurse, animal or object) at that time and the problems arising from it for the parties involved: The white baby, the black baby, the wet-nurse, the mother of the white baby, the seignorial family involved and medical doctors. Photos are highlighted of wet-nurses with children in an attitude that was intended to be 'positive', to demonstrate harmony and affection and, apparently, contradicting the debates regarding them.