Topic: mystery drinking object.

[rosieposie]

Great that you have that one sorted Paul, so you were right Ivo, well done....... but in fairness, Anik and I did get pretty close with out breat milk catchers,  and I had just found this when I realised you had the V&A reply.

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display.aspx?id=92498

Yours is superior in that it has the spout to empty it,  but otherwise very very similar.
Isn't it great when the mystery is solved!

[Ivo]

Adding to the V&A answer and the excellent info from the science museum, I can now confirm that an identical to the one which started this thread has been found in the catalogue of the Altare glass museum - so not of British manufacture. Strange enough, Altare have it misdescribed as an invalid cup...

[Carolyn Preston]

How do you validate a cup?  :wsh: :ooh:

Carolyn

[ju1i3]

I came across this picture yesterday in The Victorian Chemist and Druggist. What he calls "unusual spouted measure" reminded me of the object here.

[Paul S.]

thanks ju1i3  -  very interesting picture - however, I have lost the plot a little here...........was it decided that the nipple was placed into the container, or not.    or was it the case that the object simply caught drips?    The top left example shown in your picture has a rather large top opening  -  does that indicate massive nipples or just an over-lactating woman :ooh:
Carolyn - sorry, I wasn't sure if you were joking, or being serious - my apologies. :pb:     

[ju1i3]

Sorry I should have included this text from the book: "An unusual type of hand-made glass measure had a spout and was particularly useful for administering medicine to patients who were unable to sit up". W A Jackson, the author, certainly seems to know his stuff. It wouldn't be the first time the V and A (or any museum) didn't get things right (the curator of the Royal College of Physicians museum did not appreciate me pointing out the difference between cupping glasses and leech pots and the V+A has a leech pot which they just call a "bowl").

best, Julie

PS agree with Christine's comments, you need suction for a pump/reliever (see p. 28 of Jackson's book) whether through a pump/rubber bulb or the long glass tube that the mother could suck on herself (as in the Science Museum image) otherwise if you're just doing a bit by hand a regular cup is more suitable

[Ivo]

you might have noticed the difference between the concave breast reliever and the convex "measure". And re the function of a breast reliever vs. breast pump, ask a doctor.  :hat:

[Lustrousstone]

Perhaps ask a mother with breastfeeding experience. Breasts are more or less leak proof; the few drips that do leak will not offer any relief from pain or provide enough milk to feed an infant. The letdown reflex has to be stimulated in some way, generally by suction or manual stimulation (a hot bath or merely thinking about baby feeding work infrequently). Mere generalised pressure or popping a nipple in a cup do not work.

Perhaps Ivo would tell us what he considers to be the difference between a breast reliever and a breast pump (apart from a means of applying mechanical suction).

[ju1i3]

I don't need to ask a doctor about breastfeeding. I have breastfed two children. Aside from personal experience I have just read W A Jackson's book The Victorian Chemist and Druggist (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VhWyEOivWpoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=jackson+Victorian+chemist+and+druggist&source=bl&ots=eSIWoG2nM4&sig=lN2T3zHqPJhhI2BwvQkWoeLTukw&hl=en&ei=QkMTTfTrB4OohAfw_OG3Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false) see page 28.

Yes Ivo do tell us what you think the difference is between a reliever and a pump.

[Ivo]

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display.aspx?id=92498
If it still is not clear - go ask a doctor.