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112
(b) Need of the mother returning to work. This
occurs with both married and unmarried
women, but more especially with the latter.
Even under the very best conditions, a baby artificially
fed has not as good a chance as one brought up on mother's
milk; but in the poorer cases the difficulties are still greater.
Children kept at home may, with care, be brought up by
hand for a moderate sum. But when, in addition, payment
has to be made for supervision the case is different. Illegitimate
children are often boarded out at such small fees
that artificial feeding with cheap foodstuffs is inevitable,
and this is doubtless the main cause of the great excess of
the Infantile Mortality rate of illegitimate children over
legitimate.
The problems raised are wide and difficult. It must
always be remembered that the question of Infantile Mortality
really involves not merely the stated loss of life, but
also the permanent impairment of physique which the same
causes have produced amongst many of the children who
survive.
II. Want of Knowledge of Infant Care.
The second great factor in Infantile Mortality is want of
knowledge of Infant care, more especially on the part of the
mother. Many children lose their lives or health every year
simply through the parents' lack of elementary knowledge of
infant feeding and care.
A great deal is already being done in the way of education
by the Health Visitors in connection with the Notification
of Births Act, 1907.