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influence. This does not mean meticulous solicitation for the
child's welfare, but a sensible realisation of the child as a growing,
active being, who, although needing protection, will not respond
to coddling, and whose thoughts should be directed towards
health and not ill-health. Often in cases of malnutrition the condition
is more due to an unwise attitude on the part of the parents,
whereby the child thinks in terms of sickness, becomes introspective
and loses the joy of life.
Also considerable malnutrition is due rather to improper
food than to too little food. Proteins and fats are relatively expensive,
carbohydrates relatively cheap. In times of financial stringency
there is a natural inclination to purchase the cheapest foods
and consequently the children obtain an undue proportion of
carbohydrate food and too little protein and fat. Milk is undoubtedly
the most valuable food to make good the protein and
fat deficiency, though the milk must be above bacteriological
suspicion.
The scheme of the National Milk Publicity Council, whereby
for the cost of a penny per day, any child whose parents desire
it, may obtain a third of a pint of milk, in a sealed bottle, was
continued. This is delivered at the school and is drunk in the
middle of the morning through a sterilised straw, thus ensuring
•hat it is taken slowly. The empty bottles are collected by the
milkman.
During 1931, with very few exceptions, all schools adopted
this scheme which, since its inception in September, 1929, has
grown enormously. In 1930, only 8,723 bottles of milk were
supplied. In 1931, 946,000 bottles were supplied.
This scheme has one defect inasmuch as, owing to financial
reasons, children who would benefit most do not get the milk. A
number of these, however, are dealt with direct by recommendations
from the school medical officers and so come under another
scieme by which milk, up to 1 pint, and malt and oil, are given
at graduated prices, or free, to malnourished children. Through
co-peration of the teachers this extra nourishment is given
at school so that the child is sure of a regular supply.
A child's state of nutrition has an undoubted effect on his
later physical progress. Severe malnutrition in childhood is never