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33
The special measures for the prevention of infantile mortality that
were described in my report for 1908, were continued and extended in
operation during 1909. The Notification of Births Act was found of
great value in promoting health visiting. This Act cime into operation
in Hampstead on March 9th, 1908, and 1909 is the first year for which
we possess a complete year's record of the working of the Act. The
number of births notified daring the year 1909 was 1221, including the
births of 28 stillborn infants. Deducting the latter we arrive at a total
of 1193 live births notified, and the total number of live births that
actually occurred during the year, as ascertained from the Registrar, was
1253. The live births notified were, therefore, 95.2 per cent. of the
live births actually occurring. 325 births were notified by medical practitioners,
129 by midwives, 727 by parents, and 40 from other sources.
The obligation to notify imposed by the Act is in addition to, and
not in substitution for the obligation to register a birth which is imposed
by the Registration Act. The notification must be made within 36 hours
of the birth, but registration may be delayed for as long as six weeks
after. The object of the Notification of Births Act is to supply the
Medical Officer of Health with timely information of the births occurring
in the district, so that where necessary the homes may be visited by the
health visitors, and the Act is of little value where no health visiting
system has been established. In Hampstead health visiting is carried
out on well defined lines by the Council's lady sanitary inspectors, and
by a body of voluntary visitors organised by the Hampstead Health
Society. Many of the births notified in Hampstead do not, of course,
require to be dealt with by the health visitors, and in respect of these
no action is taken. In other cases the first visit is paid by one of the
lady inspectors, Mrs. Fisher taking the births that occur in the Kilburn
Ward, and Miss Moynihan the rest of the Borough. Subsequent visits
are paid by the voluntary visitors, and the infants are kept under supervision
during the whole of the first year of life. Periodical meetings of
the visitors arc held, where cases are discussed and future work
arranged. The mothers are encouraged to bring their babies regularly
to be weighed. The baby-weighing takes place once a week at the
Hampstead and North St. Pancras Day Nursery, 29, Pond Street, and
at the Brondesbury and West Hampstead Day Nursery, 36, Hemstal
Road. The weighing is carried out by the lady inspectors, assisted by
the voluntary visitors.