Milk and Vitamin Distribution No. I
 
     
 
 
DISTRIBUTION OF POWDERED MILK AND VITAMINS DONATED BY "AMERICAN RELIEF   
FOR ITALY" THROUGH E.N.D.S.I. TO THE ORPHANAGES AND SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS IN   
ROME
 
     
 
 
The following quantities of Powdered Milk and Vitamins had arrived from   
America and had been stored in the warehouse of the E.N.D.S.I. at S.Lorenzo   
Yards, Rome:(see original for table)
 
     
 
 
The quantity of powdered whole milk was calculated to be sufficient to   
give 250 cc. or 1/4 of a litre to 17,723 children for 60 days.
 
     
 
 
It was decided that this amount would meet the needs of the orphanages   
and child welfare centers in the cities of Rome and Naples, where the children   
were suffering from undernourishment.
 
     
 
 
In fact it had been ascertained that the food ration given to the   
children in the orphanages and similiar instututes was insufficient both in   
quantity and in quality. They did not receive more than 600-700 calories a   
day and had not had milk for a long time.
 
     
 
 
Various lists were obtained of the orphanages in Rome, but none of them   
were complete, as many new Institutes had been set up recently or had moved   
into Rome from the outlying areas.
 
     
 
 
A notice was therefore published in the daily paper informing these   
charitable institutes that an Office had been set up in Via Monserrato for   
the distribution of milk and vitamins for children under l0 years of age.
 
     
 
 
Professor Chiarotti of the Public Health Dept. of the Ministry of the   
Interior and Doctor Cesare Nobile took charge of the new office.
 
     
 
 
The distribution began on January 16th and finished January 20th. In that   
time milk and vitamins were delivered to more than 110 institutions. Many of   
the Orphanages took away the kegs of milk themselves on hand-carts and pony-  
traps and the square outside the distrbuting center hummed with activity.   
Everything proceeded however with the greatest order and even the slightest   
suggestion of confusion was avoided.
 
     
 
 
The delight of the Superiors of these institutions, who saw this   
veritable manna coming down as it were from the sky, was very touching.  
     The institutions were divided into two groups:
 
     
 
 
1) Orphanages and similiar institutions housing children in normal   
health. Most of the children were over 3 years of age.
 
     
 
 
2) Children's Hospitals, Foundling infant and maternity centers etc.