| The history of the feeding bottle |
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Teats through the ages
Unusual instrument used for piercing different size holes in rubber teats. Made by the French company Bebe Confort
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In
1845, Elijah Pratt of New York, patented the India-rubber nipple. It had a
bad taste, and found little favour initially. The Biberon nipple made of
cork, was held to be superior because it neither had the repulsive taste
of India-rubber, nor was it putrefied like calves' teats. Other nipples of
the period were made of metal (pewter, silver), glass, ivory or wood.
Perfection in manufacturing methods, however, enabled the rubber teat to
emerge as the universally accepted nipple. These changed from the original
black (still used in lamb's nipples) to white (containing lead), to red
and brown. Later models were adapted to the needs of sterilization, ease
of sucking by premature babies and, eventually, "disposability."
