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99
including all infants and children fed, irrespective of the
times during which they were so fed, the mortality rate is
90 per 1,000.
Thus, the mortality rate varies from 58 to 90 per 1,000,
and is much below the tabulated quinquennial rates for the
Borough as shewn by the following :—
Depot-fed infants 58-90 per 1,000.
Whole Borough 134 per 1,000.
Marsh Ward 187 per 1,000.
Bishop's Ward (part) 272 per 1,000.
This difference becomes even more striking when we
remember that the rates for the Borough represent the
whole of the infantile population (healthy or otherwise), and
the total deaths during a period of five years (all four quarters
in each year), whereas the rates for the depot-fed
infants represent an unhealthy and weakly infantile population,
and that, too, during the worst quarter of the year
(the 3rd or summer quarter being the crucial period of
infantile mortality in relation to feeding). Taking the uncorrected
infantile mortality rates for the 3rd quarter of 1906,
the contrast will at once be seen to be even more startling,
thus :—
Depot-fed infants 58-90 per 1,000.
Whole Borough 185 per 1,000.
Marsh Ward 278 per 1,000.
Bishop's Ward (part) 311 per 1,000.
The results (medically considered) more than justify, in
my opinion, the establishing of the Milk Depot, and more
than counterbalance the expenditure in excess of income of
£91 7s. 2d., during the six months ended 30th September.
This should in no sense be regarded as a loss in view of the
good achieved. Indeed, taking the total expenditure
(£197 8s. 5d.) and the total income (£1o6 is. 3d.), for the
six months ended September 30th, 1906, and dividing them
each by the total number of bottles distributed (60,000)
during the six months, it is found that the total cost of production
per bottle of milk is o.79d. and the income derived
per bottle of milk is o.42d., leaving a balance of o.37d. per
bottle of milk to be provided out of the rates. In this