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Infants' Milk Depôt.
The average number of children fed on the milk during
the year varied from 300 to 400, but many were on the milk
for short periods only.
During the summer the resources of the Depot were taxed
to the utmost to cope with the demand, and the work was
carried on under great difficulties. The premises at York Road
are much too small for the work which is now done, and it is
to be hoped that they may soon be replaced by a larger building
specially constructed for the purpose.
On 27th February, 1904, I addressed a circular letter to
the medical practitioners in the district, and to the visiting
physicians of certain Children's Hospitals to which Battersea
children are taken, asking for an expression of opinion as to
the value of the milk. Replies were received from 44
practitioners, 3 of whom refrained from expressing an opinion
on the ground that they had not had sufficient data. The
remaining replies, with one exception, were favourable, in
most cases highly so, as will appear from the following extracts
from the letters received. Only one practitioner expressed
himself as disappointed with the results obtained from the milk.
"It is the greatest possible boon to be able to tell
out-patients where they can get milk for their infants in clean
bottles, and in proper quantities. I have not seen any infant
with symptoms which could be attributed to any fault in the
milk supplied by the Borough Council of Battersea."
“A perfect God-send to the working classes."
"It is a form of infant food which most of us would
advise, but which before the Depôt was started was
impossible."
"In my opinion it is the very best substitute for mothers
milk."
"It is in my opinion the one 'Progressive' venture of the
local Borough Council which has benefited the public."