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Eight of the 67 infants that died under one year of age were known to be
illegitimate children. A newly-born infant found in Queen Square was also
probably illegitimate.
Of the 67 deaths of infants during the year the Lady Sanitary Inspector
was able to obtain further details respecting 64. Of these 11. principally cases
of premature birth, died before taking food; only 29 were breast fed, and 24
artificially fed. In 9 of these the mothers worked in factory or workshop,
6 were engaged in charing or other work outside the home, and 3 were in
domestic service. There were 9 deaths from diarrhœal diseases. 8 of these
took place in the third or summer quarter. Of the 67 deaths 31 were from
prenatal causes and 36 from postnatal causes.
The principal causes of death of these 67 children under one year of age
are given in Table IV. of the Appendix.
PREVENTION OF INFANTILE MORTALITY.
(1) Care and Feeding of Infants.
In previous Annual Reports I have given details respecting visits and
inquiries made by the Lady Sanitary Inspector with a view to improving the
health of infants and diminishing the infantile mortality in the Borough.
During the year 509 first visits were made. In 19 cases for various reasons
enquiries could not be carried out. In the remaining 490 cases, 5 children did
not live long enough to take any food, 35 were being artificially fed, and 450 were
being breast fed at the time of the first visit, about a fortnight after birth. A
large number of revisits were made, particularly in the cases of children who
were not breast fed, and especially those who were feeding on modified milk.