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110
The circular removes any limitations there have been to the supply of
milk to expectant mothers throughout pregnancy, to nursing mothers, and
to infants and children under the age of 5 years. It is not ordinarily to be
expected that a nursing mother will require milk when her infant reaches
the age of twelve months. No milk is, however, supplied in any circumstances
unless the medical officer of the welfare centre certifies that it is necessary
on grounds of health.
The views of the medical officers of the welfare centres have been obtained
upon suggested additions to the free issue of milk such as butter, eggs and
cheese, and, as was expected, they vary to some extent regarding the provision
of extra nourishment apart from milk. Although it is generally agreed that
butter and eggs would be a useful addition in many cases, yet there are no
practical means of insuring that the person for whom the extra nourishment
is supplied will in fact consume it apart from the provision of the food in the
form of free meals. From unofficial inquiry it has been ascertained that
official sanction would not be likely to be given to any scheme where such a
safeguard was not in operation. The provision of further extra nourishment
would seem, therefore, to be confined to the supply of meals eaten away from
home at some place similar to those belonging to the "Invalid Kitchens of
London."
All the officers of the welfare centres in the inner wards have suggested
that a kitchen to supply free meals would be a useful asset in improving the
nutritional state of the mothers and children who attend them, and the
Medical Officer of Health has, therefore, approached the Association with a
view to discovering the financial liability in the event of the Council asking
for a kitchen to be installed in the inner wards. A reply has been received,
stating that the Camberwell and Southwark Councils pay 8d. per meal for
adults and 4d. for children under 5 years. The question of a kitchen in
Lambeth will, it is stated, be placed before the Committee of the Association
at its next meeting, but no further information has as yet been received.
It may be noted that all arrangements previously made in Lambeth for
providing free meals have been given up owing to the diminishing demand
after the novelty had worn off.
A. G. G. Thompson, m.d.,
Medical Officer of Health.
31st May, 1937.
We propose further to consider the question of the installation
of a food kitchen in the inner wards of the Borough and will report
on the matter at a later date.
In the meantime, we have to state that we are in sympathy with
the suggestion that the Council's scale of income of recipients of
free and aided supplies of milk at present in use should be raised
and bearing in mind the view of the Minister of Health that the
scale adopted for this purpose should be so framed as not to render
it difficult for any mother to take advantage of the Council's
arrangements, we are of opinion that the following scale should be
applied:—