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85
It may be useful to repeat that, ordinarily, milk is supplied
free in necessitous cases only to : (a) Nursing mothers ; (b) Expectant
mothers in the last three months of pregnancy and (c) Children up
to 3 years of age.
The quantity allowed is 1 lb. of Dried Milk per week (equivalent
to 1 pint of fresh milk per day) with the exception that Infants
between 3 months and 18 months are permitted l1/2lbs. per week
subject to a special medical certificate being issued by the Medical
Officer that such extra quantity is essential on grounds of health. In
exceptional cases milk is given at the rate of 1lb. per week to
children between the ages of 3 and 5 ; but, again, such cases necessitate
the special medical certificate. Before milk is granted all
applications are first carefully checked, and then submitted weekly
to the Chairman of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee who,
in conjunction with the Principal Clerk and one of the Borough
Treasurer's senior assistants, further considers each applicant's
statements.
The Council's scale as indicating necessitous circumstances is 8s.
per head per week after deducting rent and insurances, and milk is
granted free for four weeks ; at the expiration of which a fresh application
must be made if the supply is to be continued.
Mothers receiving milk must bring their infants regularly to the
Consultation unless specially excused attendance by the Medical
Officer, and those who have a weekly income per head higher than
the scale figure are able to purchase dried milk, etc., at slightly
above cost price.
In my Report last year I referred specially to the hygienic
advantages of dried milk over ordinary fresh milk, particularly
when kept in the dwellings of the poor, and a further year's experience
has served fully to convince me that to this factor is attributable
very largely the marked decrease in the infantile mortality rate,
which in Greenwich during the year 1922 fell to the lowest level in
the history of the Borough.
In addition to milk, nursing and expectant mothers in necessitous
circumstances are eligible for free dinners, and during the year
4,108 such meals were provided. In every case the Medical Officer
certifies that the extra nourishment is necessary to improve the
health of the mother.
Throughout the year the duties of Maternity and Child Welfare
Medical Officer and Medical Officer in Charge of the Maternity Home
were in the capable hands of Dr. V. J. F. Lack, who was appointed
to succeed Dr. Pickett in January, 1922.