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243
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS ACT, 1907.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Battersea.
Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,—
Acting upon the instructions of the Council I beg to
report as follows :—
The Notification of Births Act, 1907, received the Royal
Assent on 24th August, 1907. This Act is the outcome of
Battersea's and other Councils' representations to Government
Departments for the purpose of minimising the present
appalling infantile death-rate. The Battersea and other
Councils have again and again pointed out the difficulty of
dealing with the question of infantile mortality, on account of
the necessary information through registration of births being
obtained only after an interval of 42 days. Endeavours have
frequently been made to limit this period as e.g. in Scotland
to 21 days, or, still better as in France, to 3 days. I welcome,
as the Borough Council will, the action of the Legislature in
having succeeded in passing a Notification of Births Act which
makes it compulsory upon those concerned to notifiy all births
and still-births within a period of 36 hours.
Primarily, the " duty " of notifying a birth to the Medical
Officer of Health devolves upon the father of the child, and, in
his absence, then upon "any person in attendance upon the
mother at the time of, or within 6 hours after the birth."
The notice must be " given by posting a prepaid letter
or postcard. . . . . within 36 hours of the birth " or by
delivery of a " written notice of the birth (in either case) at
the office or residence of the Medical Officer of Health within
the same time." The Local Authority are required to supply
without charge addressed and stamped post-cards containing
the form of notice to any medical practitioner or midwife
practising or residing in their area who applies for the same.
The notification is, " in addition to, and not in substitution