London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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29
Milk for Necessitous Persons.
Under the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936,
milk both fresh and dried is provided by the Council for necessitous
expectant and nursing mothers and children under 5 years of age.
The following tables give various particulars of the supply for the past five years:— A.—Number of Persons Supplied, 1932-7.
| Year. | Mothers. | Children. (Years.) | Total Persons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exp. | Nursing. | 0— | ¼ | 1½ | 3—5 | ||
| 1932 | 272 | 512 | 81 | 663 | 572 | 80 | 2,180 |
| 1933 | 263 | 463 | 64 | 619 | 553 | 64 | 2,026 |
| 1934 | 205 | 356 | 58 | 488 | 434 | 76 | 1,617 |
| 1935 | 198 | 388 | 64 | 495 | 392 | 53 | 1,590 |
| 1936 | 257 | 319 | 59 | 548 | 376 | 57 | 1,616 |
| 1937 | 267 | 284 | 98 | 558 | 393 | 78 | 1,678 |
[The classification in this table is based on the condition of the mother or
the age of the child when milk was first supplied during the year.]
B.—Qantity and Cost of Milk Supplied.
| Year | Liquid (pints). | Dried (lbs.) | % Supplied. | Cost to Council.Year | |
| Free | At reduced price. | ||||
| 1932 | 273,103 | 5,184 | 87.6 | 12.4 | £4,372 |
| 1933 | 237,629 | 3,642 | 90.7 | 9.3 | £3,280 |
| 1934 | 153,906 | 2,483 | 90.0 | 10.0 | £2,045 |
| 1935 | 162,824 | 3,473 | 86.1 | 13.9 | £2,718 |
| 1936 | 170,177 | 2,704 | 80.2 | 19.8 | £2,753 |
| 1937 | 170,955 | 4,254 | 81.4 | 18.6 | £2,882 |
[The figures in both these tables (except as to cost) include the supply made
through the Public Assistance Committee under the arrangement
referred to below.]
Care is taken to see that there is no abuse of the facilities
provided, and investigations are made into the financial circumstances
of applicants.
The supply of liquid milk is in the form of tuberculin tested
milk, which is supplied in sealed bottles by licensed purveyors in
the Borough, and the recipients are given their choice of dairymen
from the list of licensed dealers.
The scheme of the London County Council under which milk
or special nourishment is provided for expectant or nursing mothers
or delicate children where the family is already in receipt of public
assistance (in addition to the relief ordinarily given) continued in
force during 1937.