London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hornsey 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]

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The milk employed in these schemes is practically all liquid cows milk from English pastures. Only a very small
fraction of the Maternity and Child Welfare milk is dried milk, which has to be reconstituted before being given
to infants. This picture of milk distribution in the last ten years may therefore be claimed to represent what Mr. Bruce,
then Prime Minister in Australia, in a discussion on Nutrition at the League of Nations some years ago spoke of as The
Marriage of Health and Agriculture."
It is desirable also to make it clear that all the liquid milk used is pasteurised. That is to say, it is safe milk, free
from any of the germs which produce disease in infants or school children or adults. No case of disease of any kind
resulting from the consumption of milk in Hornsey has come to my notice in the ten years I have been Medical Officer
of Health for the Borough.
This chart should be considered carefully and its full implications interpreted in conjunction with two other charts
produced—namely, those referring to " Infant Mortality," "Tuberculosis in School Children.
I desire to acknowledge with gratitude the immense amount of work which the teachers in all the schools have
put into the "Milk in schools scheme." Without their active and enthusiastic support, no such measure of success could
ever have been achieved. Grateful acknowledgment is also due to the School Care Committees who have taken a special
interest in this effort to improve the health and nutrition of the school children. The Care Committees have out of
voluntary funds paid for free milk in special cases in which the children were not eligible for free milk under the Education
Committee's income scale (borderline cases).
The clerical work entailed in the Health Department checking statements as to income and in keeping accurate
records of this work in accordance with the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee's instructions has increased thirtyfold.
The results obtained in the improved health of expectant and nursing mothers and pre-school children is very
striking to those in constant daily touch with the mothers and young children, but cannot be presented in the form of
figures.

MILK SCHEME — INCOME SCALE.

No. in Family.Free.Half-Price.No. In Family.Free.Half-Price.
£ s.d.£s.d.
1 (pregnant woman)1761007326406
21 5018083100480
31 126206931764146
42 00212010450500
52 763261 14126546
62 150312012500580

notes.
1. The number in family includes parent or parents and all children attending school or under school age, but excludes
older sons and daughters living at home.
2. The contributions of older sons and daughters living at home towards the family income should be disregarded.
3. The net income should be ascertained by deducting from the total income given on the application form the amount
paid in rent, but in no case should more than 15s. Od. be deducted for rent where there are older sons and daughters living at home.
4. A Wound or Disability Pension, if not exceeding £1 per week, should not be taken into account when reckoning
income of a family for the purpose of the above scale.
5. Until 1929 the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee's scheme included expectant and nursing mothers
under one year. It was then extended to include ohildren up to three years and later up to five years.
6. The income scale has been twice revised to include higher incomes.