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15
notifying all live and still births to me. In strict accordance with the words
of the Act, post-cards are nsed, but I prefer forms similar to those used for
notification of Infectious Diseases. These latter are in books with counterfoils,
which would form a useful record of their obstetric work for the doctor
or midwife. I regret that the Act has only been in use for part of a year,
as I shall not be able to utilise the results of 1908 for comparison with
future vears. Although possessing a legitimate grievance in being asked to
notify without even the smallest of fees for rendering a great service toPublic
Health, I am pleased to say that, with few exceptions, the information
required by the Act has been promptly sent me. It is an important fact that
the Act applies to still-born children, or any child of over seven lunar
months maturity in the womb.
During the past three years as many as 63, 85, and 85 children styled
"still-born" were buried in Edmonton Cemetery.
I think that two columns might be usefully added to Local Government
Board Table I. for number and rate of births really belonging to the District.
In a district like Edmonton, with two large institutions therein, the figures
in Table I., columns 3 and 4, are most deceptive, if based only on the births
registered in the District.
The birth-rate (32.09) for 1908 is higher than last year, and it is much
higher than 26.5, the birth-rate of England and Wales for 1908. The birthrate
for the preceding 10 years will be found in Column 4 of Table I.

*Contains Edmonton Workhouse, where there were 20 babies born of Edmonton
mothers during 1908.
The Midwives' Aet, 1902, is now in the "melting pot" of a
Departmental Committee appointed by the Government. Let us hope that
their deliberations will result in a new Act of Parliament, free from the
defects of the old one!
Under date February, 1908, I received that month, from His Majesty's
Privy Council Office, a leaflet of two sheets, said to be "Extract from Circular