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13
Of the 100 deaths of infants under one year of age, 12 were illegitimate.
It will be seen from the above Table that the deaths under one year of age
per 1,000 corrected births were only 101 per 1,000, which is again the lowest
recorded infantile mortality in the Borough, the preceding year being 111 per 1,000.
The deaths of legitimate children under one year of age per 1,000 corrected births
were only 93 per 1,000; on the other hand the deaths of illegitimate children
were 235 per 1,000.
Of the 100 deaths of infants during the year the Lady Sanitary Inspector
was able to obtain further details respecting 90. In some cases, especially in the
cases of illegitimate births, the mothers could not be found owing to changes of
address, or incorrect addresses having been given.
Of the 90 deaths respecting which further details were obtained, 20,
principally cases of premature birth, died before taking food; only 36 were breast
fed, and 34 were artificially fed. In 12 of these the mothers worked in factory
or workshop, 10 were engaged in charing or other work outside the home, 4 were
engaged in home work (tailoring), and 4 were in domestic service. There were
only 8 deaths of infants from diarrhoeal diseases, all but one being artificially fed.
Of the 100 deaths 44 were from prenatal causes and 42 from postnatal causes,
the remaining 14 being unascertained or doubtful.
The principal causes of death of these 100 children under one year of age
are given in Table V. of the Appendix.
PREVENTION OF ' INFANTILE MORTALITY.
(1) Care and Feeding of Infants.
In previous Annual Reports I have given details respecting visits and
inquiries made by the Lady Sanitary Inspector, with a view to improving the
health of infants and diminishing the infantile mortality in the Borough. 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 found.
During the year 796 first visits were made. In 54 cases the mothers could
not be traced. In the remaining 742 cases, 17 children did not live long enough
to take any food, 58 were partly or entirely artificially fed, and 667 were breast
fed at the time of the first visit, about a fortnight after birth. A large
number of revisits were made, particularly in the cases of children who were not
breast fed, and especially those who were feeding on modified milk.
(2) Notification of Births Act, 1907.
The Local Government Board consented to the adoption of the Act and fixed
Monday, the 9th March, 1908, as the day on which the adoption came into
operation.