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In London the number of births was 126,620, or a rate of 27.1 per 1,000.
In England and Wales the number of births was 929,457, or a rate of 27.2
per 1,000.
CARE AND FEEDING OF INFANTS.
With a view to diminishing the preventable infantile mortality in the Borough
a leaflet on the Care and Feeding of Infants was prepared in the early part of 1904,
and great assistance was received from the Clergy of all denominations and various
Philanthropic agencies through whom about 3,000 copies were distributed.
On account of the information respecting births supplied by the Sub-Registrars
from the beginning of December 1904, in 348 of the 1,143 births of residents of
the Borough, where the mothers lived in lodging houses or tenements, visits have
been made by the lady Inspector and one of the above leaflets left if thought
desirable.
The Sub-Registrars now give us the following information respecting births:—
When and where born; name and sex of the child; name and surname of the
father ; name and maiden surname of the mother, and the occupation of the father;
The lady Inspector obtains the following additional information:—Position and
number of rooms occupied in lodging house or tenement; number of other children
that have been born, including the number that have died; nature of the food given
to infant and method of feeding; whether the child sleeps in a cot or not; occupation
of the mother.
If thought desirable instructions are given respecting the care and feeding of
the child and a leaflet left. Notices are also served for any sanitary defects that may
be found.
Of the 348 that were visited during the year, 290 were naturally fed or 833 per
cent., and the remainder, 58 or 16.7 per cent. were artificially fed. Of the 58
artificially fed, in 37 cases boat bottles were used, in 20 tube bottles, and in one no
bottle was used.
Of these 58 cases the mother was physically unable to nurse in 25 cases, the
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