“Murder bottles”- a fascinating, yet morbid topic. Get ready for a historical deep dive into Victorian “murder bottles,” a term often used to describe 19th-century baby feeding bottles that were horrifically unsanitary and often led to infant illness or death. If this topic is triggering to you, please refrain from reading.
The Deadly Secret of Victorian “Murder Bottles”
During the Victorian era (1837-1901) a revolution in child feeding was unknowingly killing babies. This early design of glass or ceramic feeding bottles, marketed as a modern, convenient feeding solution, have been dubbed “murder bottles” or “death bottles” do to their contribution to an already high infant mortality rate. Behind their delicate shapes and fancy designs lay one of the deadliest inventions of the 19th century.
What Were “Murder Bottles”?
“Murder bottles” were early baby bottles, the design of which contributed to an already terrifyingly high infant mortality rate. (15%-50% of infants in Victorian Britain died before age 1.) These bottles were typically made of glass, but historians have also found opaque styles made from earthenware. The bottle’s opening was blocked with a rubber stopper, from which came a long rubber tube with a nipple at the end. They were designed to enable infants and toddlers to feed themselves, which was a selling point for busy mothers or nurses. These glass nursing bottles were often elaborately decorated, embossed with floral motifs or animals, and had names like “the Little Cherub” or “Mummies Darling.”
The deception lies in their design, which was anything but safe.
What was in these bottles?
Victorian infant feeding practices varied based on social status and financial means. It was out of fashion to breastfeeding by directly nursing, so wealthy women might hire a “wet nurse” to latch their baby instead. (Queen Victoria hired a wet nurse to feed all of her 9 children.) Yes, there were rudimentary breast pumps at this time, but they were usually reserved for medical use- relieving of the breast, versus a feeding choice. While there could have been breastmilk in these “death bottles,” there was likely homemade or prescribed formula. In Victorian times, mothers might follow a “prescription” of what to mix to make an infant formula. The first prepared infant formula was patented in 1865 by chemist Justus von Liebig, and was available in liquid or powdered form. This formula consisted of cow’s milk, wheat and malt flour, and potassium bicarbonate (a kind of salt). When unsweetened condensed milk was invented in 1885, it was a popular choice for infant feeding and highly recommended by pediatricians. At this time, there were 27 name brand infant foods available, all made with evaporated cow’s milk with added carbohydrates, but lacking valuable nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals.
However, It wasn’t what was in the bottles that caused illness and even death. That can be attributed to spoilage of milk and bacteria growth, unknown to the general public at the time.
The Fatal Flaw: Uncleanable Design
A long rubber tube , sometimes stretching over 18 inches, connected the nipple to the bottle, which was often narrow-necked and impossible to clean properly. Especially in the summer, when infant morality rates would rise, milk would spoil quickly, clinging to the inside of the tube and bottle, forming a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Additionally, bacteria could permeate the porous rubber in the tube and nipple, with enough bacteria embedding itself in the material to cause infection. As the milk fermented, the bottle became a toxic cocktail of pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, and other deadly bacteria. Inhaled bacteria could lead to pneumonia. Babies would continue to drink from these contaminated bottles day after day, often becoming sick with diarrhea, dysentery, or “summer complaint,” the polite Victorian term for infant death caused by infection and dehydration.
Internet sensationalist articles will claim that lack of cleanliness can also be attributed to popular Victorian author Isabella Beeton’s advice to disassemble and clean baby bottles every 2-3 weeks(!) Her texts were a foundational guide to domesticity at the time. In my own research, however, I find conflicting advice from Mrs. Beeton. In The Management of Children in Heath and Sickness (1873), she writes, “the nipple [of the baby bottle] need never be removed till replaced by a new one, which will hardly be necessary oftener than once a fortnight, though with care one will last for several weeks” But in a 1907 copy of Isabella Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Beeton writes, “No bottles with rubber tubes should be used, since milk sticks to the inside of the tube, and cannot be removed. This milk when decomposed will set up diarrhœa. The bottle and teat must be scalded after each meal in hot water and soda, the teat turned inside out, and both rinsed in cold water. ” However, without today’s understanding of bacteria, and the public not understanding germ theory, proper cleaning and sterilization of feeding equipment was rare.
Public health officials eventually sounded the alarm, condemning the use of these “killer bottles.” By the early 20th century, simpler glass bottles with wide necks replaced the old designs, and boiling or sterilizing feeding equipment became common advice.
Why We Still Talk About Them
Today, “murder bottles” are a haunting reminder of how innovation without hygiene can turn deadly. They’re prized by collectors and museums for their eerie beauty and serve as a sobering artifact from a time when medical science lagged behind marketing. These bottles remind us that even the most well-intentioned inventions can have tragic consequences when we underestimate the importance of sanitation and science.
So, why do you own one?
I have a growing collection of antique and vintage breast pumps. Alongside this collection, I also collect antique and vintage baby bottles because I find them fascinating. I owned this antique baby bottle for years before I found out the ugly truth behind bottles like this.
Why share this with you today? Not to frighten or disturb you, but because I found this history fascinating and am in deep appreciation for today’s standards of cleanliness and care for our precious babies! Gratitude makes pumping a more positive experience, and after reading about this topic, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for technological advancements that have kept my babies safe!
Sources:
- Victorian Baby “Murder” Bottles– by OKS Association
- Murder Bottles– Baby Bottle Museum, UK
- Victorianweb.org
- A History of Infant Feeding– National Library of Medicine
- Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Chapter IXXII
- The Management of Children in Health and Sickness, Isabella Beeton
Be sure to follow Pump Momma Pump on Instagram for education, motivation, and support! (And more great tips like these!)
Leave a Reply