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affecting clinic attendances is very difficult to ascertain. The
average weekly attendances are certainly appreciably lower than
before the war. Some probably small part of this is due to the fact
that the buildings now available are not as accessible to as large
volumes of parents as those used formerly. The most important
factor, however, probably was the occurrence of periods of "alert"
in the day time. The fact that the attendances continued to be
rather lower in the succeeding weeks might possibly be ascribed to
the weather. It has, however, never been felt that in this district
many attended the infant welfare centres for that material benefit
they could derive, and for that reason, while it is to be expected
that some few who previously came primarily to obtain their milk
grants now no longer attend, it is not considered that this factor
influenced many.
The issue of National Milk has not materially affected the
sales of dried milks at the clinics. An analysis of the sales for a
period in December, 1940, compared with the corresponding period
in the previous year showed that there was an 18 per cent. reduction,
of which practically one-half was accounted for at the Wealdstone
clinic. This, as a percentage reduction, is less than the
proportionate fall in the average number of persons attending the
clinics for these periods. These figures confirm the impression
gathered that to some extent at least the National Milk Scheme
has resulted in the Government paying for part of the ordinary
milk supply of the household, that actually consumed by the
infants for whom the National milk was intended being purchased
as before the initiation of the scheme.