322 



MILK AND ITS HYGIENIC RELATIONS 



to the rates was given in the annual report of the Medical Officer to the 

 Local Government Board already referred to. 



The use of dried milk for infants removes any difficulty connected 

 with the cost of preparation. The dried milk is usually bought whole- 

 sale and sold at a price that will just cover any incidental expenditure 

 connected with its provision and sale. As a whole this form of milk 

 appears to approximate closely in cost to that of ordinary milk 

 obtained from a dairy and no expenditure need be incurred. In 

 Leicester a profit is even made by the sale of the dried milk at the 

 municipal depot. 



Apart from the relative and nutritive values of either boiled or 

 dried milk, the provision of dried milk removes some of the drawbacks 

 of the milk depot, where the milk is prepared in bottles. The milk 

 depot where the milk is either boiled or pasteurised is not as popular 

 with the mothers as is the dried milk depot. In the one case the milk 

 must be fetched daily and in the other a sufficient amount can be 

 obtained to last a week or more if necessary. Moreover the mother 

 learns nothing as to the methods of infant feeding when the milk is 

 provided for her ready prepared in bottles for each feed. Where 

 dried milk is used she has to prepare the milk according to the directions 

 given her at the depot. 



Neither form of milk depot should be regarded as providing a 

 generally satisfactory method for the feeding of infants apart from 

 medical supervision. The provision of a good milk supply is not a 

 panacea for infant mortality, and a mother's natural intelligence 

 does not teach her how to feed a child artificially nor even naturally. 

 She requires instruction, more especially when artificial feeding has to 

 be resorted to. In Sheffield, dried milk is only provided for those 

 mothers who attend the infant consultation and for whom the presiding 

 doctor prescribes the method of feeding. No form of artificial feeding, 

 whether by dried milk or from a milk depot, should be resorted to for 

 children of tender age unless it is clearly established that the mother 

 cannot feed the child naturally. Unless proper medical supervision 

 is intimately connected with the supply of milk from a municipal milk 

 depot, a tendency to artificial feeding is almost unavoidable, although 

 it may be difficult to establish any definite cessation of breast-feeding 

 on account of the facility with which the mother can obtain milk, 

 which is regarded in a sense an official hall-mark of quality. 



APPENDIX F 



ON THE METHODS EMPLOYED IN THE DESICCATION OF MILK 



THE methods of desiccation of milk have been described by several 

 authors, but the notes below are taken from the work of Prof. Delepine 

 (Report to the L.G.B., New Series, No. 97). 



Two methods are described. 



First Method. The accompanying diagram represents the stages 

 in the process. 



