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families are chronically underfed, and it is not too much to
say that generally the mothers suffer most. Under these
circumstances it is not surprising that many infants are
born puny and ill-nourished, and without the necessary
reserve energy to resist the new conditions of the outer world
into which they have been brought. Some idea of the ill
effects on the child, to say nothing of the mother, of want of
proper and sufficient nourishment during pregnancy may be
obtained from the large proportion of children who die
within four weeks of birth. Out of 325 deaths of children
under one year of age occurring in Willesden during 1913,
128 died under the age of four weeks.
Some work has been done at the "Babies' Welcome,''
Lower Place, which was established in 1911, in relation to
ante-natal conditions. A few expectant mothers have
attended the Welcome in connection with illness or malnutrition
of one child, and have been advised by the Health
Visitor in connection with a second pregnancy occurring
during that time. Although the numbers have been small,
on account of the limited attendances of the Health Visitor,
the work has shown the great need of its extension, especially
in respect of providing additional medical advice and
nourishment for both mother and child.
Natal Conditions.
In the year 1908 the Council adopted the Notification of
Births Act, 1907, and this Act has been of considerable
value in bringing under the notice of the Council certain
facts with regard to the births of children in the area. The
following table shows the number of births notified in each
complete year since the adoption of the Act, together with
certain other particulars.