VISCOUNT BARRINGTONsaid, he wished to ask the noble Lord representing the Local Government Board a Question of which he had given him private Notice. The following report, 595 headed, "Death of a child from overfeeding," had recently appeared in the Press:—
At an inquest on the body of a child held at Totnes Workhouse the medical officer stated that the deceased had died from being over-fed, and he strongly condemned the system of giving infants solid food. The matron said unless the orders of the Local Government Board were to the contrary she was compelled, even if a child were born to-morrow, to allow it 3 oz. of bread each day. The Coroner remarked that a child so young could not digest the food, and the doctor said that he was utterly surprised at the Local Government Board's orders.Experience showed him that the Local Government Board was incapable of giving so absurd an order; but he hoped that further inquiry would be made by that Department into this case.
§ LORD SUDELEY(for the Local Government Board): The general consolidated order issued by the Poor Law shall be dieted with the food set forth in the dietary table prescribed for the use of the workhouse. But the dietary table at Totnes directs that children under two years of age shall be dieted at discretion. Moreover, the order provides that the medical officer shall be consulted by the matron as to the nature of the food of the infants, and makes it his duty to give all necessary instructions as to the diet or treatment of children. The Local Government Board will cause further inquiries to be made at Totnes into this special case.
§ House adjourned at half past Five o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven o'clock.