502 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



of National Defense. A Milk Committee of the Council of Defense was 

 finally formed, and through the Council, the Public Welfare Bureau agreed 

 to furnish $500 to finance the experiment. 



Franklin School was chosen for the experiment as it is located in dis- 

 trict fairly representative of the wage-earning class of Des Moines. The 

 second and third grades were chosen for the experiment, the children 

 ranging from 7 to 12 years of age. Of the 59 children who had complete 

 records 28 were colored. The average daily attendance in the two rooms 

 was approximately 80, but due to the shifting of families, absences, etc., 

 during the period, there were complete records for only 59 children. 



The Home Demonstration Agent made a careful survey of the families 

 whose children were included in the experiment. The mothers were ad- 

 vised in regEfrd to diet for the children and a history of the child's health 

 in infancy, whether artificially fed or otherwise, its present diet and the 

 general family history was secured, as well as a record of the home in 

 relation to sanitation and general housing conditions. Among other 

 things the survey showed that about two-thirds of the children had some 

 milk at home with more or less regularity. The other one-third had 

 little or no milk. An effort was made to divide the homes into three 

 classes; fair, medium and poor on the basis of the score card presented 

 later in this report. An accurate platform scale was purchased for 

 weighing the children. A refrigerating tank for the bottled milk was 

 made in the manual training department of the city schools. Straws 

 were provided for use in serving the milk. Before the feeding was 

 begun the children were weighed and measured and given a thorough 

 physical examination by Dr. Fred Moore. The table of weight in relation 

 to height and age, prepared by Dr. Thomas D. Wood, was used in deter- 

 mining the approach to average normal weight. 



The children were given one pint of milk each day for approximately 

 three months. One-half pint bottle was given at the close of the morning 

 recess and another bottle at the close of the afternoon recess. The milk 

 was taken from the bottle with a straw. Every child in the group took 

 the milk with evident relish in spite of the fact that many of the mothers 

 told Miss Campbell that their children did not care for milk and had 

 refused to drink it. At the close of three months the children were again 

 weighed, measured, and examined by Dr. Moore, assisted by the school 

 nurse. Of the 59 children having complete record, 54 gained weight. 

 The average normal gain was computed from the chart furnished by the 

 Bureau of Education. 



Average Normal Boys: Of the twenty-one boys in this group, 19 

 gained weight. One boy gained 6 pounds and three others gained 4 

 pounds each. Average normal gain li/^ pounds. Average actual gain 

 2% pounds. Excess over normal per individual 5-6 pound. 



Minus 10 per cent Boys: There were eleven boys in this group. 

 Nine gained weight. One gained 4 pounds and four gained 3 pounds each. 

 Average normal gain IVz pounds. Average actual gain 2^4 pounds. Excess 

 over normal per individual % pound. 



Average Normal Girls: The nine girls in this group all gained but one. 

 One girl gained 9 pounds, one 6 and another 4. Average normal gain 



