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1908, a second lady sanitary inspector was appointed, one of whose
duties it is to visit the homes of the poor to give instruction in the
feeding and care of infants. In the latter part of the year a body
of voluntary health visitors was formed in connection with the
Hampstead Health Society to extend to West Hampstead the work
that the Society for some time has been carrying out in the Town and
Belsize Wards. The voluntary visitors work in co-operation with the
Council's lady inspectors, and on a definite system. The first visit
is paid by the Inspector and subsequent visits by the voluntary
workers and there are periodical meetings of the visitors, official
and voluntary, where cases are discussed and future work arranged.
An important feature in a comprehensive scheme of infant health
visiting is the provision of some means by which the progress of the
babies may be ascertained. The most trustworthy method is
periodical weighing of the baby, for the balance will often reveal
the existence of unsatisfactory conditions that might escape other
forms of examination. During the year the Health Society were
able to make arrangements for the weighing of the babies who are
supervised by the health visitors. Rooms have been placed at the
disposal of the Society for this purpose at the Hampstead Provident
Dispensary, New End, and at the Brondesbury and West Hampstead
Creche, 36, Hemstal Road. The mothers are encouraged to bring
their babies once a week to be weighed in order that their progress
may be ascertained and that advice may be given. The weighing is
carried out by the lady inspectors assisted by the voluntary vis tors.
The system of infant health visiting which has been built up in
Hampstead is worked on excellent lines, and has already been
fruitful in results.
The number of newly-born infants visited by the lady inspectors
during 1908 was 457, and 96 re-visits were made, 18 of which were
in respect of infants born in 1907. Of the 457 infants visited by the
lady inspectors, 155 were visited during the first fortnight after birth,
144 during the second fortnight, and 121 in the second month. Of
the 420 infants visited within the first two months after birth,
370 were found to be entirely breast fed, 25 to be partially breast
fed, and 25 entirely hand fed. 47 of the infants visited lived in
one-roomed tenements, 183 in two-roomed tenements, and 126 in
three-roomed tenements.
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