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164
Dispensary for the scientific feeding of infants, especially delicate
infants.
Cost of the Depôt. It was always recognised that the MilkDepôt
could not be entirely self supporting, and that part of the
cost would have to come on the rates. The commercial price of
modified milk has always exceeded that of unmodified milk, by from
one hundred to five hundred per cent. All existing milk Depôts
involve considerable financial loss, and none, except Woolwich, have
undertaken delivery of the milk at customer's homes. Owing to the
widely scattered population of the Borough, it was felt that the
Depôt could not be successful if the milk had to be fetched, and
consequently provision has been made for delivery at considerable
expense. An additional charge of 3d. per week was made to the
customers whose milk is delivered, and this was increased to 4d. in
the middle of the year. This pays roughly about half the cost of
delivery. A balance sheet for the past year is appended. From this
it will be seen that the total working cost of the Depôt was
£962 0s. 6d., and the total income £529 14s. 11d. £68 5s. 8d. was
paid for interest and repayment of loan, making a total loss of
£500 l1s. 3d. equal to a rate of about one-seventh of a penny. This
is not a large amount to pay for improving the health of 250 children
and saving several of these from an early death. It must be
remembered that every human life is worth to the State a capital
value of £200 on an average.
Summary.
(1). The Milk Depôt is not a milk-shop where anyone can buy milk.
It is a municipal institution for feeding under medical supervision
infants who are unable to be fed at the breast.
(2). The homes of all Depôt-fed infants are visited by Miss Fitz-
Gerald, the Woman Inspector.