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52
and, in particular, to the emphasis laid in Part VI of the Report on
the nutritional value of milk, and reviewing its arrangements under
Section 251 (I) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in the light
of this Report. Reference was made by the Ministry to Circular 1290
of the 27th of October, 1932, in which attention was drawn to the
importance of (i) securing that the diet of pregnant and nursing
mothers and young children contained a sufficient supply of calcium,
phosphates, and Vitamin D; and (ii) increasing the consumption of
milk, especially by growing children. It was pointed out in that
Circular that all possible steps should be taken to ensure that expectant
and nursing mothers and young children receive a sufficient supply of
food containing Vitamin D, the principal foods containing this Vitamin
being fat fish, fish livers, egg yolk, milk and butter. It was also
mentioned that Vitamin D might be provided by the regular administration
of cod liver oil. It would appear that some Authorities had
tnade it a rule to supply milk to expectant mothers only during the last
two or three months of pregnancy, some had limited the supply in every
case to one pint per day, and some had supplied milk for children
only up to the age of 18 months or two years. The Minister of
Health urged that in the interests of the health of the mothers and
children it was not desirable to adopt any such limitations. On the
contrary he intimated that the arrangements made by each Authority
should enable sufficient milk or other food to be provided whenever
this provision was necessary for the maintenance of the health of the
mother or young child, and reminded the Council that in Circular
1072 of the 12th February, 1930, he expressly sanctioned the extension
of the supply of milk or meals under the Maternity and Child Welfare
Act to such an extent, and in such a manner, as each Local Authority
thought desirable. It had been the practice in Hampstead to supply
one pint of milk to expectant mothers at any time during pregnancy,
to nursing mothers, and to children up to five years of age if not
attending school, all on medical grounds only. Free cod liver oil,
emulsion, or malt and oil was also supplied in addition to milk for
children when specially ordered and in a few cases for nursing
mothers.
Stress was laid on the great importance of the scale of income
adopted by the Authority being so framed as not to render it difficult