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74
It is very doubtful if an expectant mother would, over
any length of time, be willing or able to take two pints of
milk daily. Milk granted to an expectant mother is
intended for her own consumption. Even out of a grant
of one pint daily it is probable that, in many cases, the
expectant mother consumes only a portion. The fraction
is likely to be very much less if grants of two pints were
made. For this reason it would seem that if it is desired to
afford greater assistance to expectant mothers it should be
provided in some form other than milk.
The essential elements which are most likely to be
deficient in an ill-balanced diet in this country are calcium,
phosphorus and iron and the vitamins Bl, B2, C and D.
Milk supplies the calcium, phosphorus and some of the
vitamins B2 and Bl, and the milk fat, vitamin A. Eggs
are sources of vitamins A, Bl, B2 and D and of iron.
The commonest source of vitamin C is the orange. It is
suggested that in place of an additional pint of milk daily
it would be preferable to supply other foodstuffs to supplement
the mineral and vitamin deficiency, such as, say,
butter, half a pound, five eggs and 4d. to 6d. worth of
oranges weekly. Butter and eggs could be ordered and
delivered in the same way as the milk is at present distributed.
Possibly arrangements could be made with certain
fruit shops that they would accept vouchers.
It is appreciated that probably much of this grant would
be consumed by other members of the family. If the consuming
members were small children, they, at least, would
benefit and their needs are secondary only to those of the
expectant mother.
Up to the present the only grants of milk or food under
the maternity and child welfare scheme have been wet or
dried milk issued free or at half-cost. Consideration might
be given to the question of issuing free to those expectant
mothers who receive free milk vitamin preparations such
as marmite and adexolin and iron preparations, and to
children preparations of fish liver oil.
It was subsequently decided that the additional nourishment
could best be supplied by increasing the amount of milk granted
from one to two pints a day and by the issue, in addition, of adexolin
tablets. It was resolved that nursing and expectant mothers be
granted this additional nourishment, and that the scale for maternity
assistance be amended to enable a greater number of expectant and
nursing mothers to benefit from any such increased grant.