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109
l0. Supply of Milk and Accessory Foods.
The Borough Council's scheme provides for the issue of fluid and
dried milk, at full cost, or free, or at half-cost, according to a Scale of
Necessity, to
(a) Expectant mothers during the last three months of pregnancy.
(b) Nursing mothers.
(c) Children up to three years, also, in exceptional circumstances to
children between three and five years of age. The issue is in general
accordance with the Minister of Health's Circular No. 185.
Various brands of dried milk are issued, labelled specially to the
Council's directions to avoid the use of trade names.
In 1931, the following free or half-price issues were authorised:—
11,311 families were given fortnightly supplies.
Fluid milk formed the bulk of this supply, dried milk being issued
only on the recommendation of the Centre Medical Officers.
During the year it was observed that an increasing number of
persons came within the Council's Scale of Necessity with a corresponding
increase in the total amount of milk supplied.
Issues of Cod Liver Oil and Malt and Virol are made upon medical
advice to debilitated children, the parent paying cost price.
11. Compensation to Midwives.
It occasionally happens that an expectant mother, referred to the
Ante-natal Clinic by a midwife with whom she has "booked," is found
to be suffering from some abnormality which necessitates her confinement
in hospital. In such cases the Council pay to the midwife a
portion of her prospective fee which would be otherwise lost. In four
instances this policy was carried into effect, involving a total expenditure
of £2.
12. Health Education.
The primary consideration in the work of the Medical Officers at
the Clinics and the Health Visitors in the homes is essentially that of
education, the giving of advice to mothers upon the maintenance of
their children's health. This is supplemented by periodical "talks" to
mothers at the Welfare Centres, the special clinics and at the Antenatal
Centre where instruction upon, and assistance in, the cutting out