BOTTLE
Dimensions6 x 9.5 x 15 cm (2 3/8 x 3 3/4 x 5 7/8 in.)
Object numberHF.2017.34.2
DescriptionA clear glass baby feeding bottle with round body, flat side, and short neck. Raised lettering is present on the front for “Excelsior Feeder” with a logo present within a circle at the center. Beige thread is tied below the top edge of the neck. A seam runs around the circumference of the bottle’s sides. Small bubbles present within the glass. Narrative
The “turtle” shape of baby bottles from the late 19th century were designed to allow children to self-feed with the use of a rubber tube. This innovation allowed many mothers to attend to other chores, especially women in the working class. The tubes and bottle shape were difficult to clean, however, and were found to be perfect environments for toxic bacteria without proper sterilization methods. These bottles gained the nickname “killer” and “murder bottles” and were banned in 1910.
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