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" Enough perhaps has been said to show that great benefit would accrue from the substitution
of pure sterilized humanized milk for the patented, and other farinaceous, foods (so called), and the
skimmed milk, fresh or condensed, which enter so largely into the diet of infants, and are the cause, to
a large extent, of the high rate of mortality under one year of age. It becomes interesting then, to consider,
in conclusion, the important question of the Cost involved in the installation, and the working, of
Municipal Milk Depots. It appears, in the report already referred to, that the amount expended on
the installation at St. Helens (1899-1901) was £358 9s. 6d. At Battersea the primary outlay was
£460, of which £250 was for altering the premises, the rest for machinery, bottles, etc. The current
expenditure at St. Helens in 1899-1900 (8 months) was £264 l1s. 1d.; in 1900-1901—£471 3s. 2d.
In the first year the income from the sale of milk was £187 ; in the second year, £328 9s. 5d.; the
total amount falling on the rates in the two years being £250 4s. 9d.—an amount which will
decrease to extinction as the sale of the milk increases. The price of the milk is 2d. for a day's
supply—a low sum, which ' rather more than covers the cost of materials and fuel, the Corporation
agreeing to supply the plant and to pay the rent of the house and the wages for attendance.'
At Battersea, the financial statement has not yet been prepared, but the Medical Officer of Health
thinks that, at the present time (i.e., October, 1902), there is a loss of a few shillings weekly. He
is of opinion, however, that the depot will pay its way when some 350 children are being fed;
and that is likely to be soon. At the middle of August, 130 children were fed, in the first week of
October, 250; the cash takings being about £17 weekly. The charge is 3d. per day, or one shilling
and sixpence per week, payable in advance. At Liverpool, in 1901, a large number of children
were being fed from two depots (the charge per child being one shilling and threepence per week),
but at what cost to the Corporation is not stated."
The Public Health Committee, after careful consideration of the Report (No. 10) and the
above Memorandum, reported in favour of the proposal to establish a depot as follows:—
"We are of opinion that it would be a desirable thing to establish in the Borough a municipal
supply of sterilised and humanised milk for the feeding of children of the poorer
classes, in the hope that it might tend to the diminution of the excessive mortality which
does, without doubt, exist in a certain portion of North Kensington.
"We recommend—
" That the Council do endorse the opinion above expressed, and that it be referred back to the
Committee to consider and report as to what steps should be taken to give effect to the
proposal."
The Report came before the Council 9th December when an amendment, that the recommendation
of the Committee be rejected, was moved and carried by a large majority.
It should be added that, subsequently, the expenses incurred by the Battersea Council in
connexion with their Municipal Depot were disallowed by the auditor. Clearly, legislation is
necessary to enable Sanitary Authorities to enter upon this branch of (so-called) " municipal
trading."
THE MIDWIVES ACT, 1902.
The Act so entitled came into operation on the 1st day of April, 1903—except as otherwise
provided. Its purpose is to secure the better training of midwives and to regulate their practice-
A Central Midwives Board, which has already been appointed, will be the authority for
administering the Act. The duties and powers of this Board are set out in Section 3 (3).
The London County Council will be the " local supervising anthority " over midwives within
the area of the administrative county ; but they may delegate, with or without any restrictions or
conditions as they may think fit, any powers, duties, conferred or imposed upon them, to a district
council. Any powers or duties so delegated may be exercised by a committee appointed by the
district council, and consisting either wholly or partly of members of the district council. Women
will be eligible to serve on any such committee. The duties of the local supervising authority, or
if they delegate their powers, the District Council, are set out in Section 8.
The Westminster City Council, being of opinion that the Metropolitan Borough Councils
should be entrusted with the carrying out of the provisions of the Act in London, passed a
resolution to ask the County Council whether they intended themselves to carry out the provisions
of the Act or to delegate their powers to the Metropolitan Borough Councils. They expressed
their willingness to undertake the carrying out of the Act in Westminster, and asked the Councils
generally to take similar action. The County Council in their reply stated that they had
adjourned the consideration of the question involved until such time as the rules contemplated
by the Act shall have been framed by the Central Midwives Board.