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Others are responsible for the organisation and management of
the sewing class, and those who are members of the Infant Welfare
Committee attend on Mondays and Wednesdays to deal with the
applications for the supply of milk to necessitous mothers.
In the New Year all united to give a delightful tea and social
evening to over eightv mothers and as many babies, and have also
Created a small fund to provide for any special need of necessitous
mothers, such as railway fares to take their children to Hospital.
THE SUPPLY OF MILK.
At the end of 1919, the Ministry of Health advised the Council
as to the importance to the health of the nation of supplying milk
at a reduced price to necessitous nursing and expectant mothers,
and children under 5, and this was undertaken by the Committee
in January, 1920.
All mothers receiving milk are expected to bring their children
to the Clinic. Milk is only granted free to (1) Poor widows, (2) Single
girls, (3) Out-of-works, (4) Special cases of sickness and poverty.
All other grants are made on a contributory basis of 4d. and 6d.
a quart, according to the net income per head of the family on a fixed
scale of income.
The net income is defined as: The income, less the outgoings
divided by the number in family.
The outgoings are: (a) Rent, (b) Insurance, (c) Fares to and from
work.
Applicants in giving all particulars are required to state their
income from all sources, including pensions and wages of such
children as are earning.
More than half of these are nursing and expectant mothers
and most of the remainder have children under 3 years of age.
An analysis of the 110 cases in September shows:—
Nursing Mothers 48
Expectant Mothers 14
Widows 10
Single Girls 4
Out-of-work 10
Large Families 12
Poverty or Sickness. 12
It was found that many of the applicants had not been in the
habit of having cow's milk, and many have testified to the great
benefit they have derived, being now better able to continue nursing
their babies.