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Number of Rooms. —The percentage of families occupying
one room only was 30.5, as against 35 per cent. in 1908—the
number occupying four rooms or more was 6 per cent., as against
5-5 per cent. in the preceding year.
Character of Birth.—Out of 938 births, the total number
visited, 27.5 per cent. were first births, 4 per cent. were twins,
and 1.5 were illegitimate.
All twin births are visited because the nursing of twins is likely
to be attended with difficulty. So with first births an attempt is
made to visit all these—since, quite naturally, the mother, often
young and inexperienced and weighted with the traditional lore
and banal discredited dog-trot instruction of her impulsive neighbours,
has endless difficulties to contend with, and if, therefore,
a correct start can be made at the first birth succeeding children
will be likely to benefit.
MIDWIVES ACT, 1902.
This Act, in London, is administered by the London County
Council as the Local Supervising Authority. Under its provisions,
every woman certified under the Act, before holding herself out
as a practising midwife or commencing to practise as a midwife
in any area, must give notice in writing of her intention so to do
to the Local Supervising Authority, and must give a like notice
in the month of January in every succeeding year during which
she continues to practise.
The following midwives, resident in Finsbury, gave notice of
their intention to practise during the year 1909 :—
Challen, A. M., Miss City of London Lying-in
Hospital.
Cimmelli, M., Mrs. 13, Great Bath Street.
Cowley, E. A., Mrs. Maternity Nursing Association,
63, Myddelton Square.
Cooke, H. M., Miss Lying-in Hospital.
Dauney, S. A., Miss 63, Myddelton Square.