660 EXPEBIMEXT STATION RECORD. 



Infant mortality. — [Care of children] i,li^t. Bd. Health Wis., iiJf (1911-1^), 

 pp. 12Jf-130). — Feeding, care of milk, clothing, and related topics are considered 

 in this summary of statistical and other data. 



A bulletin on the baby (Bd. Health Ala. [Bui.], 1913, pp. 8). — Infant feeding 

 Is one of the subjects discussed in this publication. 



School lunches in Philadelphia (School Lunch Com. Home and School League 

 Ann. Rpt., 2 (1912-13), pp. 21, pi. 1, flffs. J). — Standard.s in school lunch admin- 

 istration, the organization and administration of work, and the business and 

 psychology of the school lunch are the subjects included in this report, together 

 with a contribution to the bibliography of the subject. 



As shown by the data collected with reference to serving cost and food cost, Ir 

 appears that " the cost of food is largely determined by the number of children 

 served. The cost of service is mainly affected by the way in which the food is 

 served. It costs less to serve 600 in one place once thaii it does to serve 100 in 

 six places or at six times. It costs less to serve food as purchased than when it 

 ref]uires cooking or special handling. Foods that may be stored cost less than 

 ]ierishable goods. Allowing for such variations, the cost of serving may be put 

 down as between one-fourth and one-third of the total cost of food and service. 



" The chai-ge to the children can be made to co^ er the cost of food and service 

 where the business is large enough and the control central and continuous. 

 Where responsibility for the managenient is divided between the school and a 

 private organization there is a loss of at least 15 per cent for service. In the 

 ease of elementally school lunches the cost of supervision can not be made 

 chargeable to the receipts from the childi'en, for the value of supervision is 

 priuiiirily educational and is properly charged :igainst the public fund for 

 education. 



" It is not so easy to measure the degree to which attendance on the lunches 

 is affected by the approval of the teaching staff. A few words from the teacher 

 will do much to make a new dish popular or unpopular. 



"As business increases and steadies, it is possible to get for the same money 

 food of better quality and a greater quantity. This is because large quantities 

 can be bought at once and advantage taken of advance-order prices. . . . 



" The initial cost of movable equipment is about 10 cts. per child, ... de- 

 teriorating at the rate of 20 per cent per year. It consists of cooking and serv- 

 ing utensils. This cost is kept down by having children served in relays and 

 the dishes washtxl between servings. It is also kept down by the fact that not 

 all the food sold requires serving dishes; for example, crackers. 



" The fixed etiuipment, such as gas stoves, sink, closets and tables, is j)er- 

 manent, and no special fund need be set aside for its renewal. . . . 



" The cost of supervision varies inversely with the numbers servetl. In the 

 high schools, where lai'ge numbei's are served under public control and where 

 portions are based on 3-ct. units, $1 out of every $9 spent goes to supervision. 

 In the elementary schools, Avhere there are fewer lunches served, and where 

 control is divided between the s<'hool and private committees, $1 in every $« 

 goes to .supervision." 



Is cooking' an errorP (Lancet [London], 191Jt, I, No. 12, pp. 841, 8^2). — A 

 discussion of the general question of the destruction of vitamins by heat. 



Cooking and vitamins, L. Hill (Lancet [London], 191^, I. No. 14, p. 1002, 

 fig^ ^). — In a communication in reply to the question i*aised in the above article, 

 the author summarizes some data (including his own experimental work with 

 pigeons), regarding vitamins, substances which occur in small amounts In a 

 number of foodstuffs and which are necessary, " some for nutrition and others 

 for growth." 



