Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Wolds find proves medieval babies stayed healthy for longer on mother's milk

"Martin Wainwright
Saturday August 23, 2003
The Guardian

A study of infant bones from a deserted medieval village has given backing to the ancient nursing nostrum that "breast is best".

Evidence from Wharram Percy in the Yorkshire Wolds, abandoned when almost everyone was killed by the Black Death, shows that unweaned children were as healthy as their modern counterparts. "