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16
The information elicited by the women inspectors and summarised
in the foregoing table, is exceedingly interesting and
valuable. Some mention has already been made of the method
of feeding of the 838 cases visited, and the percentages of those
wholly breast-fed and-partially breast-fed have been given. Of
the number artificially fed (81) 61—or 7 per cent.—were on cows'
milk, and 20—or 2.5 per cent.—on condensed milk or artificial
foods.
A point worthy of note in the table, so far as feeding is concerned,
is that the number of breast-fed children seems to be fairly high
at all the age periods given. Of the total (838) about one-fourth
(231) were visited before they were one week old. Of this number,
192 (83 per cent.) were found to be suckled by the mother, and 15
(6 per cent.) were receiving cows' milk or artificial foods.
A percentage such as this, or even higher, was expected at this
early date, the fear being that the number of mothers able to
breast-feed would diminish after the first fortnight. It is satisfactory
to note, however, that this is not borne out by the figures,
and out of 143 babies aged from two to three months, the number
breast-fed (102) gave a percentage of 71. The percentage on the
total (838) was 82.
Condition of Child.—Enquiries made under this heading
revealed the fact that 62 per cent. were well nourished, 26 only
fairly, and the remainder badly. About 12 per cent. seems to be
the average for badly nourished babies at each age group. Which
means, if these figures be taken as representative of all the births
in the Borough, that at least 12 out of every 100 children born
will have a struggle to get through the first year of life; be liable
to attack by the dangerous and common disorders of infancy—
epidemic diarrhœa and respiratory diseases (bronchitis, pneumonia,
etc.)—and not well able to withstand them.
Mothers' Work.—Of the 838 mothers, 67 per cent did only
house work; 7.5 per cent. worked away from home, and a like
number did some form of home work. The percentage of mothers
occasionally working away frorm home was 18.
Further reference to the matter of mothers' work will be found
on page 34, under Infant Deaths.