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11
This gratuitous treatment is so much appreciated that it is quite
common for mothers in Willesden, Tottenham, Edmonton and the
outlying suburbs to move their homes temporarily into Finsbury
so as to be attended in child-birth, without payment, by the
students.
This is especially the case with expectant mothers who originally
lived in Finsbury within the spheres of work of the various
institutions, or whose parents still live within these districts.
By the provisions of the Notifications of Births Act, local
Registrars are allowed to inspect the notifications received, and to
compare them with their own lists of births registered. By this
means it is possible to trace those parents who have not sent information
to the Public Health Office. To these a printed form is
sent drawing attention to the omission and asking that the notice
shall be sent. This has always been effective.
In 1912, the number of notices of omusion sent to parents was
190.
HEALTH VISITATION.—The visitation of infant births was
begun in Finsbury in 1904, when Mrs. Greenwood was appointed
Lady Sanitary Inspector. In 1905, the Borough Council appointed
a second Lady Sanitary Inspector. These ladies visited a large
proportion of the newly-born Finsbury babies, advised their
mothers, and also investigated all the infant deaths which occurred
in the borough.
In 1906, the Milk Depot was established, to be eventually
closed on March 3rd, 1909.
In 1909, one Lady Sanitary Inspector resigned, and the Council
appointed two Lady Health Visitors in her place in April of that
year.
The duties of the Lady Health Visitors are briefly :—
1. To systematically visit all the births in the poorer streets and
some of the births in the better class districts.