1909 MILK COMMISSION. 107 



the Department. But in addition to these agencies, milk depots are maintained 

 by the New York Milk Committee, the Good Samaritan, the Diet Kitchen Asso- 

 ciation, and the Children's Aid Society, and to prevent overlapping they are all 

 under the direction of the Health Department. There is 1 also a small amount 

 of certified milk. A circular prepared by the "Conference on the Summer Care 

 of Babies/ 5 representing the Departments of Health and Education, fifty hospi- 

 tals, dispensaries, settlements and other agencies is given a wide circulation af- 

 fording the mothers advice as to what to do in case of illness and giving the ad- 

 dresses of milk depots where pure milk may be obtained. With all these agencies 

 at work with the same lofty purpose, a reasonable view would seem to be that cre- 

 dit is due the combined effort rather than any isolated factor alone. But the 

 proud fact remains that the lives of hundreds of infants are saved each year, and 

 if, in spite of the handicap of the congestion of an immense population human effort 

 can achieve such splendid results, it s'hould be an inspiration to those blessed in 

 far greater abundance with those glorious, God-given aids to health fresh air 

 and sunshine. 



RATES IN AMERICAN CITIES. 



For purposes of comparison the rates in American cities are given from figures 

 given in the official report of the respective health officers: 



Rochester 86 New York 144 



Detroit 136 Chicago 156 



These figures represent the number of deaths under one year of age to every 

 thousand births. 



INFANTS' MILK DEPOTS STARTED IN ONTARIO. 



In Ontario we found no general attention has been paid to the question of 

 infantile mortality, but we are glad to record that a start has been made with in- 

 fants' milk depots in Toronto and Hamilton. 



In the summer of 1908, the first organized efforts were put forward to fur- 

 nish a safe milk supply for infants in Toronto. Following up an agitation he had 

 been making in one of his publications, and acting on the advice of friends, Mr. 

 James Acton organized the Pure Milk League. Mr. Acton himself became presi- 

 dent, E. H. McBride, Treasurer, and C. D. Daniel, Secretary. They wrote to a 

 few public-spirited citizens and had no difficulty in securing sufficient money to 

 carry on the work. They began in a modest way. Two distributing depots were 

 opened, one on Edward street to serve "the Ward," and the other at the Fred Vic- 

 tor Mission to serve the more easterly districts. "Certified Milk" was secured from 

 the Price Farm at Erindale, costing eleven cents per quart delivered in the city 

 in half pint bottles. These were retailed at two cents per half pint the same price 

 as ordinary uncertain milk to thos'e who could afford to pay, while to others it 

 was distributed free. Lectures were delivered to mothers at the Fred Victor Mis- 

 sion by Dr. Helen McMurchy, on baby hygiene, and pamphlets on the care of in- 

 fants were distributed. Two Deaconesses assisted in the work of distributing and 

 also visited the homes. So much appreciated were these efforts by the mothers 

 that the depots had to be kept open until September 26th. Over 150 babies were 

 served, and over 15,000 half pint bottles of milk were distributed. The net cost 

 amounted to only about $500, and was more than met by private subscription. 



