View report page

24
Of the 400 Infants fed from the Milk Depot, 248 were
admitted during 1912. The majority of the children admitted
during the year were more or less suffering from ill-health on
admission.
The state of health on admission of the infants fed from the
Milk Dep6t during the year are classified in the Registers as
follows:—
Good health, 43; malnutrition, 22; congenital debility, 21;
wasting, 19; jndisgestion, 17; congenital syphilis, 9; prematurity
and immaturity, 9: rickets, 10; bronchitis, 5; pneumonia, 1;
whooping cough, 4; dentition, 3; ophthalmia, 3; hare lip and
cleft palate, 3; thrush, 2; convulsions, 2; gastric catarrh, 2;
tuberculois, 2; anaemia, 1; stomatitis, 1; eczema, 1: nephritis, 1:
gastro-intestinal catarrh, 1; jaundice, 1; cretin, 1; haemorrhage
of bowel, 1; hernia, 4; deformity, 1; other surgical defects, 6.
It will be seen from the above list that few of the children
admitted were, on admission, in normal health.
The total number of deaths amongst the children fed from the
Milk Dep6t was 23, giving a death-rate of 49.3, as compared with
830, the general infantile mortality for the Borough. Seven of
the dead children were only taking the milk for a few days before
death, having been put on as a last resort. In six other instances
the children had ceased taking the milk for periods varying from
one week to twenty-nine weeks before death. The mortality
statistics of the babies fed on the dep6t milk are, having regard
to the condition of health of the great majority of them on admission,
highly satisfactory.
The two weighing-rooms which have been provided by the
courtesy of the Baths Committee at the Latchmere Road and
Nine Elms Baths, have proved of much service in connection with
the Council's Infants Milk Depot and the work of the Health
Visitors during the year. The weighing-room at the Latchmere
Baths is open on two afternoons a week, and that at Nine Elms
Baths on one afternoon a week, the hours of attendance being
from three o'clock to five. The children are brought by the
mothers to be weighed weekly or fortnightly, and the practice
continues to be a very popular feature of the Council's efforts in
the prevention of infant mortality. In this way a continuous
supervision is maintained over the children fed from the Milk
Depôt, the weight of each child being recorded in the registers,
and its progress noted. The mothers are also advised by the
Health Visitors in such cases as may be found necessary, and any
serious deviations from the normal progress of the children are
reported at once to the Medical Officer of Health.