INFANTILE MORTALITY. 695 



and sanitary authorities, rather than under the supervision of in- 

 spectors of the Agricultural Department, who, however experienced 

 in the methods of manufacturing milk products, are not necessarily 

 trained in matters of sanitation. 



In a recent Eeport by the City Inspector to the Brisbane Muni- 

 cipal Council, Mr. Fraser states : — 



"It was anticipated by puuiic health advocates that the enforce- 

 ment of the provisions of the Dairy Act would have a markedly bene- 

 ficial effect upon the conditions of the town dairies generally, and that 

 some at least would find it necessary to remove into extra-urban 

 localities, in order to acquire the requisite space for conducting their 

 business in accordance with the new measure. Such anticipations have 

 not so far been realised ; some of the dairies are objectionably 

 cramped for space, and there are many instances of bad and inade- 

 quate drainage, of unsuitable buildings, and other matters which call 

 for amendment. It is also to be noted that the Dair}' Produce Act 

 does not comprehend all the matters covered by " The Health Act 

 Ainendment Act of 1886," and two of the omissions are serious. In 

 the first place, in cases where the grazing grounds are unwholesome, 

 there is no power to interdict the use of such lands ; and some at least 

 of the much-used cattle pasture in and around the metropolis includes 

 within their area swamps or pools of water contaminated with sewage; 

 and the cattle not merely drink such water, but may be seen standing 

 in it, thereby incurring serious risk of carrying upon their flanks or 

 udders organisms of an acutely dangerous character, which in turn 

 are almost certain to be dropped into the milk-pails in the process of 

 milking. 



" In the second place, ' milkshops' are only registerable when 

 ' milk is the only or principal product retailed,' and even in these 

 cases registration is apparently not compulsory. In the Health Act 

 Amendment Act, however, power is given to prohibit the use for the 

 depasturage of milch cattle of any lands which are prejudicial or 

 likely to be prejudicial to health ; and, further, the power of com- 

 pelling registration extends to all premises without distinction at 

 which milk is sold or exposed for sale. For the above reasons I am 

 strongly inclined to the opinion that from the ' pure food ' standpoint 

 the latter named measure is a better instrument to work under ; and 

 it may be noted that, so far as I am able to see, the mere elimination 

 of the City of Brisbane from the district assigned to the Inspector 

 under the former Act (the Dairy Produce Act) would enable the 

 Council to assume, under its existing By-law (Chapter 21, at present 

 dormant), a more comprehensive, and therefore more effective, con- 

 trol of the city dairies, and also of the persons and the premises by 

 whom and at which milk is vended. And a similar principle might be 

 urged in respect of the suburban dairies in all cases in which the 

 respective Local Authorities are prepared to undertake the proper 

 supei-vision of the dairies in their district." 



Of infant feeding in relation to infantile mortality it may be said 

 that the form of food and its method of administration are capable, 

 perhaps more than any other component factor of the child's environ- 

 ment, of influencing the future development and determining the fate 

 of the newborn infant. In common with adults, the infant requires 



