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The difference between 1,674, the total notified, and 1,577 in the
above table, is due to the omission of notified births in the latter
months of the year which had not been registered by the 31st December.
Still births, which are not registrable, are also excluded from this
calculation.
The notifications were made by parents in 296 instances, 632 by
doctors, 561 by midwives, 185 by other persons.
In addition, information is received through the County Council of
births coming to their knowledge in their work of supervising midwives,
and from Medical Officers of Health of boroughs in which there is a
maternity hospital; births occurring in such an institution would be
registered in the borough in which it is situate. Notice of 276 births
were so received. Further, the Health Society received 700 names of
women expecting to become mothers from six hospitals and three
maternity societies.
Visiting of the families was carried out by Miss Horn, the Council's
Health Visitor, assisted by a staff of voluntary workers. Suitable
leaflets* were widely distributed, both by the visitors and the registrars.
Miss Horn reports that these, and the advice given, appear to be much
appreciated, and that the mothers display more intelligent interest in
the care of their own health as well as that of their children.
The method followed is to begin visiting in suitable cases about
twelve days after the birth has occurred (if the mother has been visited
beforehand, visiting is suspended during these twelve days). This
course is advisable for several reasons; the patient is under the
supervision of a medical man or midwife, and it is not desirable to
disturb the mother with visits; when the nurse has left and the patient
* The leaflets deal with (1) The care and management of infants and children;
(2) Infant management (in English, Italian, and Yiddish); (3) Management of children
over one year; (4) Hints to mothers; (5) Measles and whooping cough; (6) Summer
diarrhœa; (7) Care of the teeth; (8) Simple cookery.