Dufferin Historical Museum

Carman, Manitoba

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BABY ITEMS

by Gabrielle MacLellan The items used to care for infants have changed along with how babies are raised and cared for.

The baby carriage was invented in 1733 by William Kent, this carriage was a basket shaped like a shell and attached to wheels. The first baby carriage was low to the ground so a goat or pony could pull it. More designs followed in the following years. The models were made out of wicker or wood and had expensive metal parts, they were called perambulators or pram. Lighter strollers or buggies became available in the 1970’s and the pram and heavy carriages became less popular.

The baby bottle has come a long way as what and how babies has also changed. In the late 1700’s it was common for infants to be fed pap, a thin mixture of bread and liquid that was boiled into a pulpy texture. It was almost impossible to get the pap feeders clean, so the infants fed this way were exposed to harmful bacteria. It became clear around 1800 that glass was better for baby bottles, however more artificially fed babies died young than naturally fed babies. It was insisted by medical writers that human milk was better for infants than animal milk. Chemists in the second half of the 1800’s began to join doctors in the effort to modify cows’ milk to make it more like human milk which is sweeter and has more nutrients. By 1918 a wide variety of prepared infant foods were available in drug stores. These formulas are mixed at home with clean water and bottles. Through this long process of adapting infant formula has come a long way.

Baby walkers are seen in various different works of art from the 14th and 15th centuries. Medical writer Ferrarius recommended them in the 16th century to training a baby to walk. The style of baby walker most familiar is a round or square frame on wheels. A common name for these walkers was ‘go-cart’ the name common now, baby walker, was first recorded in America in the 19th century. In April 2004 Health Canada banned baby walkers in Canada. Between 1990 and 2002 data from sixteen Canadian hospitals showed that 1900 infants ranging from five to fourteen months suffered baby walker related injuries. These injuries included falling down stairs in the walker, flipping over, and crashing into a hot stove or heater. Due to this ban parents can not sell used walkers and retailers are not allowed to advertise of carry them. If caught, fines can be issued up to $100,000 or six months jail time can be served. The Dufferin Historical Museum has many baby items from long ago. Our collection includes baby carriages, walkers, and bottles.

Dufferin Historical Museum

Guest’s Comments

“It was so nice to meet you guys and get a chance to see all of your displays. I want to again say how much we appreciated you opening the museum and taking time out of your days for us. We went over to the cemetery and they helped us find the grave sites which was a thrill as well. Thank you again for your hospitality and the gift bag.”
Howard Thomson
Hemenway Family

"Nice to meet you and have a personalized tour of the Museum .... your organization has done a wonderful job of displaying the artifacts and honoring the families in the area. Glad that you were able to use some of the articles that I had available.
The cookbook is really well done. I enjoyed reading and reminiscing - lots of great recipes and 'tidbits'. 
"Big Bouquet" to all involved.

Linda, Morden, MB"

"A Great Museum I visited the Dufferin Historical Museum on Saturday, June 2 for the celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.
I have not visited the museum for some time and I was greatly impressed by the changes that have taken place. The people who have been giving their time and expertise to the arrangement and displaying of the many artifacts, as well as the people who have worked with the flowers and plants around the grounds, are to be greatly commended. There is more work and time spent on these jobs than most people realize. The tea was probably a first and in my opinion a good idea. It was overall a great way to celebrate the event. A visit to our museum is certainly a great way to spend an hour or two and well worth it."

Keith Barker, Carman Past Board Member

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Contact

Dufferin Historical Museum
44 Kings Park Road
Carman Manitoba R0G 0J0

Phone:
Museum - 204-745-3597

Trish Aubin – 204-745-7353
Caroll McGill – 204-745-6674
The GPS coordinates:
49° 30.178 N 098° 00.621 W

Admisions

Adult: $5.00
Student: $3.00
Under 5: Free

Memberships:

Single: $10.00
Family: $25.00 (2 adults/2 students)

Hours of Operation

July and August
Tues - Sat 10:00 - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 to 5:00 pm

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