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39
In order that she may properly nourish her child, a mother must herself
have sufficient nourishment.
A large number of infants die every year from marasmus and debility, and
the cause of these deaths may frequently be traced to the deficient quality of
the milk secreted in the mother's breast.
When there is poverty in the home it is the mother and baby who suffer.
The husband and children must be fed, so the woman herself goes without.
She is often underfed before the baby comes into the world, and underfed all
the time she is suckling it, consequently her milk becomes poor and
unsatisfying, the child fails to thrive, and gradually dies for want of that
nourishment which nature's food should provide. In such cases, if only
help in the way of good milk and other nourishment could be extended
to the mother before and after childbirth, it might often be the means of
saving the life of a child, or ensuring for those living greater health and
strength.
The establishment of milk depots will not tend to encourage breast feeding.
With the proviso as to the unknown value of the regulations to be made
by the Local Government Board under Section 6, and on the understanding
that the powers and privileges of the City are in no way interfered with,
your Medical Officer advised the Corporation to support the Bill, with the
exception of Section 9, dealing with the establishment of milk depots for
infants. On all other points the Corporation had already expressed opinion
in favour of the principles of the Bill.
TUBERCULOSIS ORDER OF 1909
(made under the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894 to 1903).
As already mentioned, on the introduction of the Milk and Dairies Bill on
the 25th May, 1909, it was announced that the Board of Agriculture and
Fisheries would, in connection with that Bill, issue an order under the
Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, dealing with " the notification of tuberculosis
" in cattle and the inspection, examination, detention, isolation and slaughter
" of tuberculous cattle, and the giving of compensation in appropriate cases."
The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries accordingly made an order on the
26th May, 1909, to be cited as the " Tuberculosis Order of 1909," which was
to come into operation on the 1st January, 1910.
Although it was not to come into force until that date, it was prepared in
order that the proposals of the Government as a whole might be laid before
Parliament.