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35
In the above table, as some of the children commenced taking
the milk at the end of the previous year, the periods shown in the
table are understated.
Of the 632 infants fed from the Milk Depot, 421 were admitted
during the year ; 402 of these were admitted on the
recommendation of medical practitioners, and the outstanding fact
is that over 70 per cent. of the infants admitted during the year
were more or less seriously ill, in some instances in a practically
dying condition. The nature of the illnesses or diseased conditions
from which these children suffered comprised almost all the
diseases of infancy, a considerable proportion (33 per cent.)
suffering from congenital or developmental diseases. In other
cases improper feeding was the cause responsible for the illness
from which many of these children suffered.
The total number of deaths amongst the children fed from
the Milk Depot was 53, and the death rate was therefore 83.8
per 1,000.
An analysis of these 53 deaths shows that in only two instances
was the child when admitted to the Depot in good health,
and in one of these the death of the child was caused by whoopingcough,
which it was unfortunate enough to contract subsequently
to admission, and which, in the case of young infants or children,
is an especially fatal disease. In all the other 51 cases, the child
was, when admitted to the Depot, in a serious condition of health.
In many cases the children were only on the milk a very short
time (one day to one week).
A few of these fatal cases taken haphazard will serve to
illustrate the state of health in which these children were when
admitted:—
J. A.—Admitted 14th March, 1908. Age on admission,
5 days. State of health: Suffering from spina
bifida. On B.C. milk 5 days.
c 2