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21
1. The orders relate to milk only and not to food.
2. The power of the Local Government Board to
require Local Authorities to make arrangements for the
supply of milk is omitted.
3. Local Authorities are empowered to supply milk
free, or at less than cost price, not merely in necessitious
cases, but also where such supply is necessary because of
the retail price of milk in any area.
4. The quantity of milk to be supplied is prescribed
by the new orders as follows:—
(a) For children under 18 months—pints daily.
(b) For children between 18 months and 5 years—
1 pint daily.
(c) For expectant and nursing mothers—the quantity
prescribed by the person certifying.
The effect of the orders, therefore, is to empower Local
Authorities to supply milk to expectant and nursing mothers
and to young children without previously receiving the consent
of the Ministry of Health (as required by the Maternity and
Child Welfare Act, 1918, in respect of distribution carried out
under that Act), free or under cost price, where some person
authorised by the Local Authority has certified this to be necessary
by reason of the retail, price of milk in its district. The
Maternity and Child Welfare grant distributed by the Ministry
of Health is limited to the cost of any food, including milk
distributed to necessitous cases occurring among expectant and
nursing mothers and children under 5 years of age, who are
certified by the Medical Officer of the Welfare Centre, or by
the Medical Officer of Health, to be in need of the food or
milk, and separate accounts must be kept of milk supplied to
non-necessitous applicants, which do not rank for a grant in
aid, as in the case of necessitous applicants.
The new orders have caused much extra work to the Public
Health Department. The Borough Council gave instructions
for their terms to be made known by circular throughout
the Borough. The Medical Officer of Health was
authorised to make the necessary arrangements to put into
operation the powers of the orders, and it was left to his
discretion, subject to the terms of the orders, as to the extent
to which the scheme should be administered in the Borough.
In accordance with the directions of the Ministry of Health,
a circular letter was sent to all medical practioners, nurses,
midwives, and others drawing their attention to the powers of
the orders and asking for their co-operation.