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Brookfield Orthopaedic Hospital.—Daily cod liver oil and milk
(1 pint.) were advised for all children and a varying summer menu
alternating every third week was devised.
(2) Milk Meals.—Milk was supplied to 1,303 children on medical
grounds on the recommendation of the Medical Staff after the
examination of children either at school or clinics, the total number
of meals being 164,898. The number of children supplied during
the preceding year was 645, and the number of meals 93,724.
In addition, 31 children were supplied with milk on the recommendation
of the Tuberculosis Officer.
The marked increase in the number of children supplied with
milk on medical grounds will be noted. It is a matter of some
difficulty to account for the increase, because there is no indication
that the average nutritional condition of the school children in
the area has deteriorated; in fact, all the available evidence points
to the contrary.
The system in operation with regard to milk meals is briefly as
follows:—Children are referred mainly from two sources—from the
Head Teachers and from re-inspections. They are weighed and
measured at Lloyd Park Clinic, and if below the appropriate weight
as shown by the age/height/weight scale in use, they are granted
milk for one month, after which they re-attend for re-weighing
and renewal of milk if necessary.
The particular age/height/weight scale in use has, on comparison
with other scales, shown a high level of average weights, with the
result that more children have been scored as being tinder normal
than would have been the case with the other scales. All children
under the average weight for age and height have been granted
milk, although it has been realised that this observation alone is
no criterion of malnutrition. In such cases the milk granted has
been more in the nature of a prophylactic measure.
The increase in the number of children given free milk is largely
due to the stricter supervision which has been given by the Head
Teachers and the School Doctors.
New arrangements were brought into force in March, 1935,
under which children were examined at school four times yearly
and assessed on clinical grounds rather than on the basis of
age/height /weight.
(3) Milk Marketing Board and National Milk Publicity
Schemes.—New arrangements under which ½ pint bottles of milk
are supplied at ½d. per bottle came into force on October 1st,
1934. The general requirements of the Milk Marketing Board
have been followed and some half-dozen firms have been approved
as suppliers of pasteurised milk under the Scheme. Milk so distributed
is known as "voluntary scheme" milk.