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62
This is administered in London by the Public Control Committee
of the London County Council, and by the National
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to children.
Over-lying.— In 6 years this has caused 114 deaths, or an
average of 19 deaths each year. They are easily preventable if
the parents would always let the baby sleep in a separate cot.
Such a cot is easily made out of an orange box, and is shown,
padded and dressed at the Council's weighing centres. However,
even when a separate cot is obtained the baby is put to sleep
in it during the daytime, but not at night. Every mother regards
the accident of overlying as impossible with her baby—it may
reasonably happen to other careless, indifferent, reckless mothers,
but not to her. It is impossible to convince the average mother
that, however strong and hearty her baby may appear, yet it may
be suffocated to death by overlying when it is taken into her bed
at night. Every mother scouts the suggestion. Some of these
deaths are doubtless due to the parents going to bed under the
influence of liquor, some to simple weariness of the mother after
a hard day's work, or after the week-end clearing up.
Generally the babies are found dead on the breast. The mother
has been so exhausted with hard work, or so maudlin with drink
that she has not felt or realised the baby's desperate struggles
for air. Pinned beneath the mother's breast it becomes suffocated
under her heavy body weight.
If there is clear evidence that overlying occurred through the
drunkenness of one or both parents, then the Children Act, 1908,
Section 13 applies, and the offending parent is liable to prosecution
and conviction.
Short of this, however, there would appear to be no power
in the Public Health Acts to deal with these deaths or with
the possibility of their occurrence.
The appeal in each household must be a personal one.
Convulsions.—In 6 years, 65 deaths have been attributed to
this cause, or an average of 11 each year.