be attributable to poverty in more than a small proportion of
cases ; a more probable explanation seems that afforded by
the extraordinary ignorance of English women of the indus-
trial classes concerning food values, cooking, and general
economy of dietetics. Passing from malnutrition and disease,
the report indicates that 40 per cent, of children in schools
suffer from decay of the teeth — a fact that may be regarded
as of equal importance to the health and fitness of the next
generation as the prevention of tuberculosis.
Further, additional interest and importance now attaches
to the subject of cheap and nutritious foods in view of the
Provision of Meals Act, 1906, which empowers educational
authorities to supply school children with meals, the cost of
which is met out of the rates, or in part by voluntary subscrip-
tions. Some idea of the extent to which this power has been
exercised will be learned from the fact that in 1909-10 the
cost to the rates of the meals so provided by the Education
Board was ;^i34,io5. As the principles to be observed in
the feeding of a family of six or seven, where the income is
a very small one, are similar to those applicable when a large
number of children have to be fed out of the rates, it is pos-
sible to gain information of value for the family from the
results of the experience recorded in the past year or two by
various educational authorities. These will be referred to
shortly. It may be laid down that the essentials to be con-
sidered are the following : —

1. The food must be nourishing and ample in amount.
2. The food must be as cheap as possible consistent with i.
