1909 



MILK COMMISSION. 



philanthropy, but mainly by municipal grants; in the United States, chiefly by 

 private philanthropy, and, occasionally, as in Eochester, by municipal contribution. 

 In some cities they are conducted during the entire year and in others only dur- 

 ing the summer months. In many places in Europe and in some in England the 

 milk is sterilized before being distributed; in others it is not boiled, but only pas- 

 teurized; while in still others clean raw milk is supplied. In this connection Dr. 

 G. R McCleary, formerly Medical Health Officer at Battersea, London, England, 

 in his book " Infantile Mortality and Infants' Milk Depots," says " These methods 

 (Eochester, U.S.A.) are far in advance of anything which has been done by the 

 British municipalities, and it is much to be hoped they will be introduced in this 

 country." 



In all the work, however, there appears to have beeen a common recognition 

 of the fact that milk in itself is only one factor, and that with it must go educa- 

 tion in hygiene and sanitation. Equally as important as pure food has been the 

 instruction in how to use it. Large cities in England have their " lady visitors " 

 to follow the milk into the homes, to educate the mother and to improve the 

 environment. In American cities the milk is distributed under the direction of 

 trained nurses or doctors and to their advice and supervision as much as to the 

 pure milk itself must be attributed the results. 



SAVING INFANT LIVES IN ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES. 



Individual depots cite individual triumphs. The death rate of infants fed 

 at the Finsbury depot showed only 76.9 per thousand births, compared to a general 

 rate of 148.6 in the same borough. Liverpool depots showed a rate of 76 per 

 1,000 as compared with a. general rate of 151. 



But it is as 1 a factor in the splendid general reduction of the infantile mortal- 

 ity in England during the past six or eight years that we desire to consider it here. 

 Up to 1900, the infantile mortality of England and Wales remained practically 

 stationary or slightly on the increase. Since that time, according to official reports, 

 there has been a gradual decrease. The following figures are taken from the 

 statistics recently issued by the Local Government Board, and show. the number of 

 deaths for England and Wales under one year per thousand births in the periods 

 named : 



1873-1877 148 



1891-1900 181 



1898-1902 152 



1907 118 



It was found that cities showed an infantile mortality about one-third heavier 

 than the rural districts; yet the reports of the Medical Health Officer for London 

 for 1907 shows a rate of only 116 for that year, and gives the following comparative 

 figures for leading English cities: 



