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These visits include births taken from the Registrar's
Return, but which were not notified.
The method of procedure adopted has been for the
Health Visitor to pay a visit to the home three weeks after
the birth of a child if a Doctor is in attendance, and ten to
fourteen days after if a non-medical person is in attendance.
At the visit, particulars are obtained, printed matter
containing the usual information is left, and more or less
personal advice according to the circumstances of the case.
Further visits are paid if deemed desirable from the information
obtained.
In a district of this sort, of course the majority of the
births only require the single visit, but as will be seen from
the analysis of the cases, a very fair minority require
assistance; and seeing the small cost involved, if only two
lives have been saved, the expenditure is more than justified.
A fear has frequently been expressed that this work impairs
the responsibility of the parent, but I am quite convinced
that the very reverse applies, and that the effect is to
increase and not diminish the parent's responsibility.