VALUE OF MILK DIET

Southland Times, Issue 21431, 27 June 1931, Page 9

VALUE OF MILK DIET

USAGE IN SCHCXJLS.

EDUCATION BOARD INTERESTED.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Southland Education Board the chairman (Mr J. C. Thomson) said he noticed in the report of the school medical officer that school nurses had had occasion to pay special visits to several schools on account of certain troubles prevalent at this time of the year, among them being impetigo and scabies. Regarding these, he directed attention to the June number of the Education Gazette, which is received by all head teachers, in which an article appeared by the Medical Officer of Health detailing the results of his experiment with Native children of the North Island who had suffered from these complaints, which were attributed to dietetic deficiency. A complete cure was effected by supplying the pupils with a milk diet.

The milk was stored in a cool spot at school and covered with butter-muslin, until used. At 11 a.m. (playtime), and again at 12 (lunch time), pupils were assembled and given their milk ration in individual cups. The primer classes were given one pint and the standard classes half a pint daily, throughout the whole thirteen weeks of spring term, 1930. Physical measurements were recorded before milk feeding began, half-way through the term, and finally at the end of the thirteenth week. Before routine medical inspection of this school was begun scabies (40 per cent.) and impetigo (15 per cent.) were rife. At the routine inspection, 1930, resulting from preventive efforts, and before the milk feeding began, the incidence had fallen to scabies 14 per cent., sores 5 per cent. After the experiment a further reduction to scabies 6 per cent., sores 3 per cent., was noted.

Improved nutrition had helped the struggle against these troubles, due to faulty home conditions. The same improved nutrition was responsible for improved attendance, the attendance regularity increasing markedly for the duration of the experiment. The headteacher of the school and the Maoris of this community were so pleased with the results of this experiment that they propose to put the. milk feeding on an annual permanent basis. They intend to provide milk at school at least during the winter term each year. The milk rationing resulted not only in physical improvement, judged by gain in height and weight, and by improved resistance to disease, but also in improved mental alertness noted by the teachers and seemingly corroborated by mental tests. The milk ration given regularly supplies missing constituents of the family dietary, the usual diet being excessively carbohydrate. Milk may supply deficient protein minerals, and vitamines, as suggested in recent Scottish study (Orr and Clark, 1020). However, this' may be, it is certain that milk has a very high nutritive value.