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proportion of carbohydrate 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 fundamental fact which appears to emerge from the
welter of theories and opinions so continuously put forward, is
that a plain, straightforward diet on old established lines, containing
meat once a day, green vegetables, bread and butter and
milk, contains all the necessary food factors and main chemical
groups necessary for proper nutrition. Whether a child gets a
sufficient quantity is a combination of financial circumstances and
skilful buying. One mother will cater for a growing family
successfully on a low income, whilst another mother will fail
hopelessly. The art of wise buying is one which might be
developed in school education.
Milk Marketing Board Scheme.
During 1934, by arrangement with the Milk Marketing
Board, milk was supplied to schools in bottles containing onethird
of a pint at a cost of ½d. per bottle. Some 16,000 bottles
of milk were consumed per day, shewing an increase of 11,000 per
day over the previous year.
The scheme has been criticised on the grounds that it is
forming a bad habit of taking food between regular meals. A
child, however, is an active and growing organisation, and can
easily assimilate and make use of extra nourishment which in an
adult might lead to digestive disturbances. Again, not a few
children, unfortunately, go to school after an inadequate breakfast;
and the small amount of milk in the middle of the morning
comes as a useful prop until dinner-time.
All the milk supplied is Pasteurised milk, and the sources of
supply are subject to constant supervision by the Medical Officer
of Health, through the Sanitary Inspectors. Any falling off in
quality or cleanliness is enquired into as soon as detected, and
should any source prove consistently below standard, the supply
from this source would be suspended.
Heights and Weights.
Table III. gives the results of an enquiry made to ascertain
the average heights and weights of all children examined at
routine inspections of 1934. The full value of this table will not
be obtained until similar records for ten consecutive vears have
been analysed; when this is completed the rate of growth can be
followed, so far as Croydon children are concerned, throughout
school life.