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6
The infantile mortalities of the eight Wards of the Borough are contained in
Table VI. (Appendix). The mortality was highest in Church Ward, where it
amounted to 187, and lowest in Moorfields, where it was only 99 per
1,000 births.
The infantile mortality for England and Wales during 1914 was 105 and for
London 103. It was somewhat lower than in 1913.
Although fluctuating from year to year the infantile mortality has been
steadily falling for the past 20 years. Taking the five years ending 1899 it
averaged 196, the next five years it was 187, the next 153, whilst during the last
five years it has averaged 119. These figures show a decrease over the period
mentioned of nearly 24 per cent. The decrease in the infantile mortality for the
Metropolis during the same period amounts to about 35 per cent.
Attention is to be directed to the work of the Health Visitors which is detailed
in their reports (Appendix), and it is hardly necessary to emphasize its importance
in connection with the efforts for the reduction of the infantile mortality of the
Borough. The weighing centres which began working last year have been well
attended during the year under consideration. It may be mentioned that the
accommodation at the Town Hall being required for other purposes it was
necessary for the meetings of the centre presided over by Miss Charlesworth to be
transferred to the Pitfield Street Baths, where a room was kindly provided by the
Baths Committee.
In August a communication was received from the Local Government Board,
stating that an estimate had been laid before Parliament for a grant to be
distributed by the Board in aid of the expenditure of local authorities and
voluntary agencies making arrangements for maternity and child welfare in the
direction of clinics, dispensaries and other measures primarily concerned with the
provision of medicine and surgical advice and treatment.
It was pointed out that up to the present, Local Authorities in their infant
welfare work had concerned themselves more especially with the child in its
first year of life. The matter, however, was one to be dealt with on a more
comprehensive basis, and extension of the existing work was needed on the one
hand for securing improved conditions before and at the time of birth, and on the
other for continuing the work in relation to children beyond the first year of life.
A memorandum was also forwarded by the Board with a view to assisting the
formulation of schemes or extending the work already undertaken, from which it
appears that the objects of a maternity and child welfare centre are briefly as
follows:—
(1) To advise expectant mothers on matters affecting their condition at
the centre or at their homes when uecessary, and to arrange for
complicated cases of pregnancy receiving proper hospital treatment.