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34
use, but from their appearance it is doubtful if they ever make acquaintance
with the wash.tub from one year's end to the other.
Under such circumstances as these it is not surprising that so many
elementary school children are found to be in a verminous condition.
The very bad examples from the destitute home of the out-of-work, workshy,
or alcoholic parent or parents infect at school the children from the
more decent houses, and only constant inspection and re-inspection by
school nurses can cope with the evil.
In some cases the neglect of the children appears to be due, not
to extreme poverty, but to the mother being out at work most of the day,
so that the children are not properly looked after.
Some of the worst cases of neglect and apathy on the part of the
parents have been prosecuted by the London County Council, but it does
not appear to be much use to inflict small fines on people who are living
a hand.to.mouth life on the verge of destitution. From the point of view
of the education of the rising generation, apart from home conditions,
which must go far to destroy all the benefit they derive from their school
training, the only practicable course is to remove the children from such
homes as these, and to educate them in the Poor Law Schools at the cost
of the rates. How to deal with the fathers and mothers of these
neglected children is, however, a far more difficult problem.

From the above Table it will appear that the notifications under the
1907 Act fell short of the registrations by the number of 203. In 1911
the discrepancy was 220. In proportion to the number of births the
notifications by the midwives shewed a slight decrease in 1912 as compared
with 1911, whilst the notifications by medical practitioners were
practically the same.
Visits of Instruction re Management of Infants.—During the year
1912, the homes of 470 recently born infants were visited by the Lady