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42
so as to make it difficult to put paper through, or at
any rate, to withdraw it in a lighted condition.
(4) Another safeguard against the introduction of wisps of
paper, etc., is that the fireguard should make a good
semi-circle around the fire, so that young children
cannot thrust anything through the grate as far as the
fire.
Such fireguards should be obtainable cheaply, viz., from
two to four shillings each, and need be no more of a recurring
expense than other items of furniture if they are used carefully.
They are specially important in these days when cottages are
built with such small kitchens, or where the family lives in
perhaps one room only, for then the children are forced into
closer contact with the fire.
HEALTH VISITOR.
Notification of Births.
During the year 1911 three hundred and twenty nine more
primary visits were made to the homes of babies than in the
previous year, the total number being 2324. This increase
was largely due to the fact that early notification as required
by the Act has been systematically carried out, and it may be
said that the Notification of Births Act is now working
efficiently in the Borough.
There were 3001 births registered during 1911.
,, 3028 „ notified „ „
These figures show that the compulsory notification under
the Act within 36 hours is much more valuable to us than
the registration of the birth which may not take place until six
weeks after the birth.
Your Lady Health Visitor (Miss E. A. McCleverty)
reports that she has visited each home, usually about the middle