The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-08-03
NUMBER OF MILK DRINKERS
ON INCREASE

larly drink milk mas, generally
speaking, continued to increase dur
ing the past five years, despite the
depression, according to the pre-
liminary report of survey of 3,413
Philadelphia families completed last
week by Pennsylvania State College
and the United States Department of
Agriculture.
Twenty-three per cent more child
rem of adolescent age drink milk reg
ularly in 1894, compared with five
years ago. With the exception OF
the Italian families, the children up
to g years of age showed decided
increase in the number now drink
ing milk. There were 80 more col
ored children in each 100 who were
drinking milk every day than in
1929.
The per capita home consumption
of milk in Philadelphia averaged go
of pint per person as compared to
.6S of a pint five years ago. The
average weekly per capita consump-
ton of fresh milk, at the time of the
survey was 2.11 quarts. These fig
ures for comparative purposes are
based only on milk bought in the
homes from distributors, and do not
include milk consumed in restau-
rants, hotels, schools, etc. The
consumption of fluid milk in the
suburbs was somewhat higher than
in the city proper.
Income In Relation To Consumption
The income of families evidenced
definite relationship to consump-
ton. Almost without exception,
as the income rises, higher per-
centage of the various members Of
the families drink milk. In the
higher income groups, families may
have better understanding of the
nutritive value of milk. No doubt
this fact has some influence upon
their milk drinking habits" With
the exception of the lowest income
group, in which the relief families
were included, there was an increase
in the amount of fluid milk consum-
ed as the per capita income of the
family rose to $500 per week.
Above that income, there was a
slight decline in the per capita con-
sumption.
The Jewish families ranked high
est in a per capita consumption of
milk in practically all of the income
classifications, with an average
weekly per capita consumption of
2.56 quarts. The Negro was the
lowest consumer in all the income
groups with weekly per capita con-
sumption of 1.57 quarts, and with.
few exceptions, the Mediterraneans
were the next lowest consumers, re-
CARELESS of income. $50 of all the
Jewish families interviewed pur-
chased fluid milk, % of the native
whites, and $40 of the negroes.
The size of the family also showed
a definite relationship to the per
capita consumption of milk. Large
families with low income consumed
less milk per person than the small
Ter families having similar income.
When the per capita income was
above $1,000 week, the influence
of size of family was not apparent.
This survey was the 3rd official
study of milk consumption in Phil
adelphia. Previous studies having
been made at five year intervals, by
the United States Bureau of Agricul-
tural Economics, which cooperated
in the 1924 study with the Pennsyl-
vania Department of Agriculture,
and in 1929 and 1884 with the De-
partment of Agricultural Economics
of the Pennsylvania State College.
The city blocks included in the sur
vey of the 3,413 families, were those
used by the Department of Indus
trial Research of the University of
pennsylvania in making numerous
studies in Philadelphia. Approx
mately every 18th home in these
areas was visited. Nutrition au-
thorities today advocate the use Of
quart of milk for children and pint
for adults. In these amounts may
be included the use of other dairy
products, exclusive of butter. more
attention than ever is being center
ed by pubic groups upon devising
means by which children especially
can secure a more nearly adequate
amount of milk.