London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bethnal Green 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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49
PROVISION OF MILK FOR NECESSITOUS
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
The prevalence of unemployment and low wages
among the residents in the Borough, to which reference
has been made elsewhere, makes it specially
necessary to care for the nutrition of
expectant and nursing mothers and young children
under 5.
The Council's grants of milk to necessitous
expectant and nursing mothers and young children
under five years are made for a period of 4 weeks
at the end of which the mother has to re-apply.
During the year 12,736 grants were made arising out
of 8,793 familv applications and re-applications.
The grants were made up as follows:
| Expectant mothers | 978 |
| Nursing mothers | 1,595 |
| Children under 3 | 7,829 |
| Children 3-5 | 2,334 |
There were 2 sessions a week, and 25,956 attendances
at the Welfare Centre in connection with Milk
Grants.
During the year the following quantities of milk were issued to necessitous mothers:—
| Tuberculin Tested Milk | 16,527 galls. |
| Dried Milk | 45,720 lbs. |
together with medicines, etc. The approximate cost
of milk given in this way was £4,829.
Although the number of grants has not increased
very much, there have been changes in the grants ;
increased quantities being allowed and liquid milk
being used instead of dried milk in many cases.