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Notice to the local authority is to be given where more than one child
is retained for more than 48 hours, and notice is to be given of any transfer
of such children to the care of other persons.
Inspectors (male and female) are to be appointed with the usual powers
of entry, who are to inspect the premises and children to satisfy themselves
"as to the proper maintenance of such children," and "to give any
necessary advice or directions as to such maintenance." The local authority
is to prescribe the number of infants to be received into any house, and
where the premises are "so unfit as to endanger health," or the receiver of
such infants " by reason of negligence, ignorance, or other cause," is unfit
to have the care of children, the infants are to be removed to the workhouse.
The Coroner of the district is to be notified of the death of every such infant,
and is to hold an inquest thereon unless a satisfactory medical certificate be
produced.
For an offence under the Act a penalty not exceeding £5 is provided,
with the alternative of imprisonment for not more than 6 months at the
discretion of the Court.
This is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, and it is to be hoped
that the Bill will speedily become law.
I have in other reports drawn the attention of the Vestry to the necessity
for the more frequent removal, in summer, of house and other refuse, and I
would again strongly urge this upon them, as it is the contamination of milk
and other food with the emanations from decaying refuse and polluted
soil that so often causes fatal Diarrhœa.
INFLUENZA.
Thirteen deaths were directly attributed to Influenza as compared with
25, 13 and 66 in the three preceding years.
VENEREAL DISEASES.
Fifteen deaths were attributed to these diseases, of which 13 were due
to Congenital Syphilis.
Class III.— Dietetic Diseases.
Five deaths were stated to be directly due to alcoholic excess, but in 12
cases the disease was stated to have been accelerated by intemperance.