MID-MORNING LUNCH IN RURAL SCHOOLS 7 



including its vitamin A content. An assay for vitamin C showed it to be rich in 

 this constituent, 3 r c being sufficient to completely protect a standard guinea 

 pig from scurv}'. which was at least equivalent per unit of volume to the original 

 juice. 



The work was not continued in School A during the year 1930-31. Further 

 observations as to the value of tomato for mid-morning supplementary feeding 

 were, however, carried on in school B in which all children were given a lunch 

 of Y2 cup of tomato puree plus a cracker. This amount proved to be more than 

 the smaller children would take readily. After December 10, 1930, therefore, 

 the amount given the three lower grades was reduced to 1/3 cup. 



In the fall of 1930 a two-year study was also started in schools C and D. For 

 these two \ears (1930-32) the children of the first four grades of the former were 

 given each morning a lunch consisting of a cup of reconstituted evaporated milk 

 plus a cracker, while the children of the same grades of the latter formed the 

 control group and were given no feeding. The milk was reconstituted by adding 

 5 parts of water to 4 of evaporated milk. Three well-known brands of milk 

 •which could be obtained in large containers from local wholesale grocers were 

 used, either mixed or singly. A study of evaporated milk for supplementary 

 school feeding seemed pertinent since many communities do not have a source 

 from which they can obtain milk of a grade safe for school feeding.' 



Although no detailed analysis of the data of the first two years had been pos- 

 sible at the time, even general observation suggested more or less improvement 

 in the children whether milk or tomato had been given as a supplementary feeding. 

 Since the food values of riiilk and of tomato are quite different, it seemed possible 

 that a combination of the two might produce a greater improvement than either 

 alone. Accordingly, during the year 1931-32, observations were again made in 

 school A. This year the children were given 2/3 cup of a mixture consisting of 

 4 parts evaporated milk, 4 parts tomato concentrate, and 1 part water, plus a 

 cracker. Although the tomato was quite acid there was no curdling when it 

 was added to the milk unless the mixture was allowed to stand for an hour or 

 more before serving. When served cold the mixture had a very pleasing flavor 

 and was well liked by the children. 



As stated above, the children of school C in the industrial village came largely 

 from foreign homes where the food habits were probably quite different from those 

 of the majority of the children in the other schools including the control school D. 

 Moreover the Italian children, particularly, were noticeabl}- shorter of stature 

 at any given age than the majorit\- of the children in the other school. Because 

 of the inherent differences in the two groups of children the investigation was 

 continued through a fourth year by feeding the control school D. Grades I, 

 II, and IV were given a cup of evaporated milk reconstituted with water; grades 

 III and V, a cup of evaporated milk to which the same proportion of tomato 

 juice had been added. Three well-known commercial brands of tomato juice, 

 all of good qualit}-, were used for this final test. Samples from the shipments 

 given the children were assayed for vitamin C. Two were found to be almost 

 if not quite as rich in this constituent as are canned tomatoes, 3 and 4.5 c c being 

 sufficient to protect a guinea pig from scurvy. The third was less potent, 7 c c 

 failing to give complete protection. Fortunately the second and third brands 

 were fed mixed for the most part, so that the vitamin C content of the milk- 

 tomato mixture as fed, was not greatly different throughout the year. 



'This part of the project was financed in part by a grant from the Evaporated Milk Association. 



