Milton

History of Milton
Originally, Milton solution was used in the First World War as a disinfectant and was taken into the trenches to treat burns to the skin, as well as the effects of gas and chemical attacks. The Milton Pharmaceutical Company was founded in 1916 and the products take their name from the famous poet John Milton (1608-1674), author of Paradise Lost.

After the First World War, Milton continued to be used as a general antiseptic, disinfectant and food preservative, as well as being used widely in surgical procedures in hospital. However, during the late 1940's there was a widespread outbreak of gastroenteritis, which led to the death of 4,500 babies under the age of 1 year. The outbreak was traced back to poorly cleaned baby feeding equipment.

At that time, the only way to sterilise bottles was to boil them for a few minutes in a saucepan, and the Ministry of Health approached the manufacturers of Milton to develop a safe and easy way to sterilise baby equipment. It was then that the Milton Method was born and it has been credited with saving many babies lives over the years.