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24
regularly. This is where the crux lies. It is idle to enjoin good
food and to preach high sanilary ideals to those who have little or
no food in the home, to those for whom the prospect of work is
vague and illusory.
The main problem is the problem of poverty, and it is unfair,
irrational, almost ridiculous to attempt to solve it by added public
health legislation or keener sanitary administration. A more
critical system of public health inspection, an increased number of
municipal inspectors, will not add one loaf to the cupboard, or one
thread to the child's raiment.
Regularity of Attendance.—None of the mothers attended
regularly week by week—22 per cent, came every two or three
weeks, 42 per cent came casually and occasionally, 17 per cent,
came twice only, 19 per cent, came once only.
The reasons for this irregularity are various. Some mothers
bring their babies when the child is ailing—but stop coming if the
baby begins to improve.
Some, again, come as long as their husbands are in work, but
when their husbands are unemployed have themselves to go to
work to support the family.
Occasionally the mother ceases to attend because she has no
"respectable clothing" or no "proper boots."
It is great pity that the attendances are not more uniformly
regular ; the cause of this irregularity, however, is, in the main, an
industrial one, and lies outside the scope of public health
measures.
Average gain per week—Amongst those who attended regularly,
the average gains per week were at the—
Minimum Maximum
gain. gain.
Penton Street Centre 3½ ozs ⅓ oz. 7¼ ozs.
Radnor Street Centre 3½ ozs ⅔ oz, 8 ozs.
Town Hall Centre 4¼ ozs 1½ oz 9½ ozs.