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More than half the children were brought before they were 3
months old, the rest were, in very many cases, brought because
they were already ailing or wasting. It would be better if all the
babies were brought during the first or second month.
Nearly 30 per cent, of the children were the first born of their
mothers. These are the children it is sought to get hold of; if the
mothers can be taught thoroughly how best to deal with their
first children, the instruction survives for the benefit of succeeding
children.
Work and Status of Parents.—These are included to
exhibit the social status and character of the parents who resort to
the weighing centres. The occupations show that the fathers are
mainly of the working class and chiefly General Labourers, Porters,
and Carmen. These occupations were as follows :—
General Labourers (99), Porters (51), Carmen (41), Packers (27),
Printers (15), Window Cleaners (14), Painters (9), French Polishers
(8), Clerks and Timekeepers (7), Costermongers (7), Lift Attendants
(7), Gas Fitters (6), Hawkers (6), Policemen and Firemen (6),
Barmen (5), Cabdrivers (5), Cooks (5), Horsekeepers (5), Shop
Assistants (5), Tailors (5), Fish Friers (4), Hairdressers (4),
Jewellers' Assistants (4), Leather Bag Makers (4), Bootmakers (3),
Silver Polishers (3), Stick Dressers (3), Tobacconists (3), Turners
(3), Bacon Driers, Basket Makers, Bookbinders, Bricklayers, Card
Embossers, Caretakers, Fruiterers, Gilders, Office Cleaners, Packing
Case Makers, Piano Key Makers, Scavengers, Stonemasons,
Tinplaters (2 each), Bath Attendant, Bat Maker, Billiard Marker,
Bill Poster, Blindmaker, Boilerman, Box Repairer, Butcher's
Assistant, Cloth Shrinker, Cocoa Roaster, Cycle Enameller, Gas
Collector, Glass Blower, Insurance Agent, Leather Dresser,
Metal Sorter, Milkman, Mosaic Worker, Newsvendor, Optician,
Organ Grinder, Plasterer, Platelayer, Postman, Sailor, Scene
Shifter, Skin Sorter, Sweep, Teacher of Languages, Tiler,
Umbrella Maker, Waiter, Water Inspector, Wheelwright (1 ach).
Two of the mothers were widows.
Nearly 20 per cent, of the parents were out of work, 25 per
cent, were in casual employment, 55 per cent, only were working