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19
It will be seen from the foregoing table that there is a marked difference in the mortality among
children under one year of age when the least and most overcrowded groups of districts are compared.
This agrees with the figures in corresponding tables published in previous annual reports. If the figures
for each of the trimesters are considered in this connection, it will be seen that the same behaviour of
the mortality is observable. This will be better appreciated by reference to the following table, in which
the mortality of the least overcrowded group of districts is taken as 100:—

It will be seen from this table that in each successive trimester of the first year of life the
difference in the mortality obtaining for the several groups of districts becomes more pronounced.
These figures, it will be seen, are in general agreement with the results obtained from a comparison of
the figures for the period 1905-7.
The account given in the annual reports of medical officers of health shows that systematic efforts
are being made in the large majority of districts to lessen infantile mortality. The Notification of Births
Act has been adopted in all but eight boroughs and the homes in which births have taken place are visited
by women sanitary inspectors or health visitors. In some districts the work of these officers is supplemented
by that of a staff supplied by local health societies who act in co-operation with the officers
appointed by the borough councils, and in this connection "consultative centres" have been
instituted in Paddington, Fulham, Westminster, Hampstead, St. Pancras, Finsbury, and Poplar.
To these centres mothers bring babies needing special attention, and advice is given as to their treatment,
the progress of the child being watched, and tested by weighing. At the milk depots in Battersea,
Finsbury and Woolwich, the same course is pursued and here specially prepared milk is supplied for
children who cannot be fed from the breast. The value of these several measures is attested by the
medical officers of health in whose districts this provision has been made, and there can, indeed, be no
reason for doubting that they must be making available knowledge and experience all important for
the preservation of infant life. In a few districts voluntary associations provide, at a charge of 1d.,
dinners for nursing mothers and those about to be confined, the requirement being that the dinner
shall be eaten on the premises, and in this way effort is made to deal with poverty which may prejudice
the infant. In Kensington the case of necessitous mothers is brought to the knowledge of local charities,
and where want of employment of the husband is the cause of the poverty, endeavour is made to find
him work. In Chelsea 220 nursing mothers were given 9,276 dinners. In Westminster necessitous women
can obtain dinners from two months before to nine months after the birth of their child.
The London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1908, section 6 provides for the appointment
of health visitors and enables the Council to contribute to their salaries. It is to be hoped that the
provisions of this Act will encourage the appointment of such officers in London. In the following
table is a statement of the number of health visitors and of female sanitary inspectors, who are employed in this work at the present time.

(Continued on next page).
1 See footnote (1), page 18.