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35
(e) Amelia F., unmarried, worked till the day her child was
born.
(f) Miss S., (unmarried), in service till two days before birth
of child, returned at end of month.
(g) Mrs. T. Husband deserted her 8 months before confinement.
Worked as machinist in factory till a few days
before birth of child.
(h) Mrs. H., office cleaner, worked till day of confinement.
These are the worst cases I have found among women going
out to work, but outworkers frequently carry on their work
practically all the time. The women do not inform their employer
of the occurrence of their confinement, but get some one to fetch
and return their work at the usual times.
BIRTHS.
Five hundred and thirty eight births were notified, involving
838 visits, and eventually 35 cases were not found as the addresses
were incorrect.
416 of these infants were found to be entirely breast fed. 93.5%
6 partly breast fed. 1.3%
18 hand fed. 3.7%
while 7 had died within a few hours, and had therefore no food at
all. 1.5%.
Four of the hand fed babies were so fed by the order of the
doctor attending. Fourteen of them were fed with cow's milk, three
with Nestle's milk and one on Allenbury's Food.
Of the six partly breast fed infants, three were given Nursery
biscuits in addition, two oatmeal, and one boiled bread with cow's
or Nestle's milk.
Irregularity marks the methods of many of the mothers. They
feed the bady "when it cries." They say it is "entirely breast fed,"
but often careful enquiry brings out the fact that it also sometimes