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It will be seen that 1,359 out of 3,157 babies visited, were taken to Welcomes
during the year. This large proportion gives a fair idea of the extent to which Infant
Welfare Centres are appreciated by the mothers. Figures, however, give but a crude
idea of the actual results attained. It is only by means of a personal knowledge of
the individual cases benefitted that one is able to realise the possibilities of Infant
Consultations.
Opportunities have been given to the women to attend classes organised for
them by the Voluntary Societies. The subjects taught at these classes are Infant
Care ; Sewing and Knitting, including the cutting out and making up of suitable
clothes for babies and young children ; Home Nursing ; Personal and Domestic
Hygiene ; Domestic Economy and Cooking.
In many cases simple talks on the above subjects are given at the Welcomes.
It is usually found more satisfactory to hold special meetings for the classes. At
the Stepney Mothers' Welcome, classes are held on three days in each week, the subjects
being Cooking ; Infant Care and Home Nursing ; Needle-work and Cutting
Out.
377 mothers attended these classes during the year.
The St. George-in-the-East and Wapping Infant Welfare Association holds a
weekly class in Sewing and Cutting Out. During the year four special courses of
lectures on other subjects were organised. At all of these classes the total number
of attendances was about 900.
Sewing classes were also held in connection with Camperdown House and Sick
Room Helps Society.
Cookery classes were held at the Minories Dining Centre at which there were
155 attendances at two series of 12 lectures. 6,299 dinners were provided during
the year to expectant mothers and to those mothers who had been recently confined.
The dinners are supplied at the nominal cost of a halfpenny to twopence each, but
1,704 were provided free.
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.
There were 28 deaths of illegitimate children under one year of age, or at the
rate of 172 per 1,000 illegitimate births.
2 belonged to the Limehouse District, or at the rate of 76 per 1,000
illegitimate births ;
4 belonged to St. George-in-the-East, or at the rate of 130 per 1,000
illegitimate births ;
11 belonged to Mile End Old Town, or at the rate of 239 per 1,000 illegitimate
births;
11 belonged to the Whitechapel District, or at the rate of 161 per 1,000
illegitimate births.