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Milk is also sold at cost price in cases recommeded by the Medical Officers, Health Visitors
or any local practitioner or hospital Medical Officer. During 193G under this part of the scheme
5,958 lbs. of dried milk were supplied at a cosi to the families of £570: 18: 6d., as compared
with 5071 lbs. at a cost of £401 10s. lOd. during the previous year.
Under the arrangements made with the Public Assistance Committee of the London County
Council, dried milk is given in exchange for relief tickets in certain cases; and during the year
290 lbs. of dried milk were so issued at a cost to the Committee of £24: 9: 4d.
The Borough Council supplies a full-cream or humanised dried milk prepared by the
spray method and similar preparations dried by the roller process. It is found that where one
type of milk does not suit a child, almost invariably the other form will prove digestible. The
digestibility of either form of dried milk is greater than that of wet milk.
The heating of milk in the process of drying somwhat alters the vitamin-content of it; but
this is easily and completely made good by the addition of a small quantity of fresh fruit juice
daily to the infant's food. Every mother whose infant is receiving dried milk at the clinics is
carefully and repeatedly instructed by the doctor:;-, and health visitors in reference to this matter.
Experience confirms me in views I have expressed strongly in previous Reports, that dried
milk and not wet milk should be supplied practically exclusively in the Infant Welfare clinics;
and this is my personal practice in the sessions that I myself conduct. My reason for this
attitude is that it is difficult in any circumstances to maintain fresh milk in a pure condition.
In the absence of proper precautions there is a continuous liability to the contamination of wet
milk by dust and flies carrying germs of disease, such, for instance, as cause the diarrhoea of
young infants, so frequently fatal. The probability of such dangerous contamination is greatly
less when dried milk is used. Another consideration that weighs with me is, that the composition
of cow's milk differs from that of human milk; and the modification necessary to render it a suitable
food for human infants cannot be looked for in the circumstances of many of those attending
the clinics.
I am of the opinion that the reduction of infant mortality in this Borough and throughout
the country, especially in the large cities, has been to some extent contributed to by the wider
use of dried milk and the consequent elimination of some of the causes of illness in very young
children.
Still another consideration may be referred to; the curd formed in the stomach from milk
made from the dried powder is lighter and more easily digested than that resulting from the
ingestion of wet milk. Experience has proved conclusively that children fed on dried milk
with the addition of a little fresh fruit juice, as above described, can be reared successfully.
Medical research has proved the importance of a due regard to the question of anaemia in
the mothers and babies of this country. For many years we have met this necessity by distributing
dried milk powder with which a mild preparation of iron has been incorporated or by using
Iron and Ammonia Citrate tablets.
CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS.
The Charity Organisation Society, the Invalid Children's Aid Association and the Invalid
Kitchens of London have continued their helpful co-operation. The last-named conducts its
local activities at Bishop Creighton House.