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70
Green consumers, however, only get about 3.35.
As I pointed out in 1935, unless the cows supplying
Bethnal Green milk have changed their habits, some
of the cream is being intercepted between cow and
consumer. Apart from the ethics of this procedure,
the matter has an important public health aspect.
Milk with less than the normal amount of fat is so
much the poorer as an all round food. It is also very
serious that samples taken in course of delivery to
local hospitals are found to be similarly defective,
the fat percentage in one case being as low as 3.15.
It should be added that, undesirable as may be the
supply of milk so poor in quality, it is perfectly
legal owing to the deplorably low standard laid down
in the Milk Regulations of 1901 which still govern
the matter. As the Government is now concerned
with the passing of a new Food and Drugs Bill, it
is to be hoped that the opportunity will be taken to
lay down in one of the orders under the Bill when
it is passed into law a revised and more satisfactory
composition for milk.
BETHNAL GREEN NUTRITION.
Although it is not solely a matter of food supply,
the state of nutrition of any community is more
closely bound up with the nature, quality and quantity
of its food than any other factor. It is also
true to say of the modern town population that the
nature, quality and quantity of the food consumed
is mainly dependent upon incomes. During the past
few years there has been much discussion on these
and allied problems. With a view to gleaning a
few of the more salient facts about the food supply
of a cross section of Bethnal Green residents, an
enquiry was carried out with the help of the Health
Visitors in May 1937, among certain families. The
results of this enquiry have been embodied in a report
which appears as an appendix to this report.
Here it may be stated , that the investigation
broadly confirmed the views (1) that the food of the