Collection of the month

This Sunday (3 April) is Mother’s Day and the Library & Archives Service has decided to mark the occasion by focusing on our collection of nutrition information leaflets aimed at mothers, children and families issued during the Second World War. Food rationing in Britain was introduced on the 8 January 1940, shortly after the start of the war, due to difficulties in the importing of food produce by ships which were frequently under attack. During the period of food rationing (1940-1954), the British government via the Ministry of Food, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information educated the nation in what food they should be eating through a vast number of information leaflets, recipe books, posters and television and radio broadcasts. Under the system of rationing expectant mothers and children under five were provided with additional rations in an attempt to ensure they received adequate nutrients. The extras provided to pregnant women and children included milk, meat, dried egg, concentrated orange juice and vitamin A, vitamin D and cod liver oil tablets. This collection forms part of a wider collection of material relating to nutrition research carried out at the School between the 1920s and 1990s. For further information, please see the archive catalogue at: http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/library/archives/