View report page

40
Every week the Registrar supplies me with a list of particulars
of the births registered during the previous week, and Mrs. Fisher
visits as many of the homes as possible and leaves with the mother
a card containing instructions on the feeding and general care of
infants, supplementing the printed directions with simple practical
advice. Subsequent visits are paid as occasion permits. The
English system of birth registration, however, does not tend to
facilitate the work of health visiting. Births may legally be registered
as long as six weeks after the birth has occurred, and the
consequence is that many babies are already dead by the time the
birth is registered. The London County Council, as the Supervising
Authority under the Midwives Act, has endeavoured to meet
this difficulty so far as London is concerned by arranging for the
early notification of births attended by midwives. Under this
arrangement the midwife notifies the birth within a week of its
occurrence to the County Medical Officer of Health, who sends to
each Medical Officer of Health in the County a weekly list of the
names and addresses of the babies notified in this way. During
1906 the number of births notified in Hampstead under this arrangement
was 104.
In 1905 Huddersfield obtained statutory powers to compel the
notification of births within 48 hours, and in several districts a
system of voluntary notification has been adopted. A system of
this kind would be of considerable value in Hampstead, especially in
the Kilburn Ward.
The number of newly-born infants visited by Mrs. Fisher during
the year was 386, including 97 notified by midwives through the
County Medical Officer of Health. 57 infants were visited before
they were a fortnight old, 11 were visited during the second fortnight,
79 during the second month, and 55 after the second month.
In addition to these primary visits a large number of subsequent
visits were paid where occasion required.
Of the 206 infants visited during the first two months, 155 were
found to be breast-fed, 25 partly breast-fed, and 26 wholly hand-fed.
Of the total 386 infants visited:—
43 infants were members of families living in 1 room.
180 „ „ 2 rooms.
111 „ „ 3 ,,
38 „ „ more than 3 rooms.