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43
to vouch for the accuracy of the information which the Health
Visitors had obtained. Any alterations in the conditions was
noted, so that practically every case was reviewed weekly.
In addition, a Sub-Committee was appointed to deal with
exceptional cases, and this Committee met as often as the number
of applications rendered their meeting desirable.
In spite of these precautions, it was not, of course, possible
to prevent all abuses, but in time these attempts were detected.
For instance, a child would be sent up to the office on Thursday
or Friday instead of a more responsible person. When the child
was asked why some more responsible person had not been sent
up to sign for the milk, the answer given was unsatisfactory;
the milk was given oh that occasion, but the child was told that
either the mother or the father would have to come the following
week. Probably no one would come on the following week, and
upon enquiries being made, it was found that father had again
started work.
From enquiries which I have made, the care which we
exercise here was not observed in many other districts, and it is
not surprising that by an Order dated the 14th March, 1921,
the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Ministry of Food,
have rescinded their Orders of 1919. The circular accompanying
the rescission Order explains that this step has been rendered necessary
by the lavish way in which many Local Authorities have incurred
expenditure far greatly exceeding what is either necessary
or desirable for the purpose in view.
It will be seen from the following summary of the circular
that in the past, in this distrct, we have kept very closely to the
conditions which the Ministry now insists.
The following are the conditions:—
1.—Milk may be supplied at less than cost price in necessitous
cases only to :—
(а) Nursing mothers.
(b) Expectant mothers in the last 3 months of
nancy.
(c) Children up to 3 years of age, and exceptionally
to children 1,3, and 5 years of age.
2.—The quantity must not exceed one pint per day per
person. Exceptionally, 1½ pints per day may be supplied to infants
between 3 and 18 months.