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cent. used the milk for short varying periods under four
weeks. The reasons assigned for discontinuing the milk,
after varying intervals, were (1) leaving the neighbourhood;
(2) unable, or too far, to send for the milk; (3) by order of
medical attendant; (4) unable to afford to pay; (5) milk unsuitable.
In connection with those parents who were unable to
afford to pay, a private voluntary benevolent fund was opened
at the depot, and from this fund deserving cases have been,
as far as possible, assisted. It was felt that, where infants
were doing well upon the milk, it was hard to have to stop
it (with consequent danger to the health of the infant)
because the father, through no fault of his own, lost his
work from some cause or other. It is to be hoped that this
benevolent fund will be augumented either privately by
voluntary contribution, or publicly from the rates, e.g.,
through the Guardians or otherwise. Much good would
accrue, and the manageress could be trusted to select carefully
only deserving cases.
No serious difficulties have had to be met since the Milk
Depot was opened, and there has been little, if any, adverse
criticism. The Milk Depot is not a milk shop, worked in
opposition to the trade, but simply a municipal institution
for the proper feeding of infants and children who cannot be
fed, satisfactorily, in any other way. This is an important
fact to remember.
5.—Weekly numbers of infants and children fed upon the
Milk.
The weekly numbers of infants and children fed upon the
Depot Milk during the period of six months under review
(i.e., February 12th to August 11th, 1906) show a slow and
steady increase week by week, as follows:—