Punch,  46 (1864), 24, 27.

Dinners for Poor Children Wanted

Anon

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Nutrition, Human Development, Health, Disease, Patronage, Morality, Religion


    Discusses a Guernsey Star report of Victor M Hugo's visit to the Hauteville House in Guernsey, where he entertained 'the poor children who, for about two years, have been the constant recipients of his bounty' and treated them to a 'substantial dinner once a fortnight'. The Guernsey Star reports that Hugo claimed that his actions were prompted by medical and scientific inquiry into a supposed correlation between certain diseases associated with the poor (including scrofula and rickets) and a deficiency of 'animal food' in the diet. Hugo adds that his test of this theory in Guernsey 'had been undoubtedly successful', and Punch stresses that providing a child with a meal of fresh meat 'is not a very costly gift', and that such a diet will better prepare them for work. Agrees with Hugo that such provisions are part of Christian duty, and urges the establishment of 'poor children's public dinners'. (24)



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