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8. That all preparations offered or sold as food for infants should be certified by a Government
Analyst as non-injurious, and that each packet should contain its analysis.
9. That the Dairies, Milkshops, and Cowsheds Order is defective, and that any amendment
should extend the definition of disease as applied to animals, and should make the provision of
Regulations by Local Authorities compulsory; that the scope of the Regulations should be
extended to cover dirty milk, and should enable Local Authorities to prohibit the sale of any milk
which fails to comply with the conditions of purity agreed upon.
10. That, in the opinion of this Conference, the Midwives Act, 1902, should be extended to
Scotland and Ireland.
At the close of the Conference it was unanimously agreed—
That the Conference resolve itself into a Committee to give effect to the foregoing
resolutions, and with power to remit to an Executive Committee to carry out the same.
A deputation of the Executive Committee subsequently waited on the Prime Minister and
the President of the Local Government Board, to submit the resolutions of the Conference and,
generally, to urge the necessity for Government action in relation to the matter. The Prime
Minister's reply betokened sympathy with the views of the Conference, as set out in the resolutions,
and in the remarks of the spokesmen for the deputation. The President of the Local Government
Board, in welcoming the deputation, said it was in the responsible position of president of
a department which had promised to assist them, and intended to adhere to its word, that he responded
to the invitation given by the Prime Minister to deal with the practical and administrative
points embodied in the excellent speeches that had been made. Increasing attention, he
observed, was being given to the matter of instruction in hygiene, and kindred matters, in the
public elementary schools; and not only in the secondary schools, but in the Universities also,
and he would communicate the views that had been expressed to the President of the Board of
Education. As to supply of sterilized milk by the sanitary authorities, incalculable good had been
done in those districts which had adopted the system and he had decided to introduce a Bill
sanctioning what was doubtful and illegal in the action of the local authorities in establishing
such depots. The general subject of the notification of still-births would be considered, at the
end of the year, from the point of view of the Huddersfield experimental Act, and the attention
of the Home Secretary would be called to the proposal to inquire into the question of the insurance
of infant life. As to the proposed restrictions in regard to mothers working in factories, it
was only just beginning to be found out, the amount of disease due to pre-natal causes; but
infantile mortality often sprang from other causes than those which the factory inspector could
prevent. The question of infant feeding would be further inquired into, and dealt with by a
Departmental Order—or by legislation if necessary. The tendency on the part of people to spend
on beer what they should lay out on food for their children, and for securing that leisure which
should be given to the expectant mother, was one of the contributing factors towards the high
infantile mortality raites in districts where housing was relatively good, and where wages were
fairly high, as compared with other districts.
The subject of infantile mortality received consideration, last year,from the Local Government
Board for Scotland, by whom a circular letter was addressed to the Local Authorities, stating that" in
view of the increasing attention given to the question of high infantile mortality and its remedies, and
in fulfilment also of the promise made by the Secretary for Scotland in Parliament, that the
Board would issue a leaflet on the management of young children," they were " of opinion, after
giving the matter their careful consideration, that the aims in view would best be reached by giving
the fullest publicity to [an] annexed leaflet entitled ' Hints about the Management of Children,'
by Dr. J. B. Russell, late Medical Member of the Board, and formerly Medical Officer of Health
for Glasgow." The Board recommended that, "When handing over a Leaflet to the mother
. . . . the Health Visitor .... should direct special attention to the contents, and any
necessary explanations," otherwise "the Leaflet is apt to remain unread." And "above all, the
person visiting should insist on fresh air by night as well as by day, and cleanliness of body, of
clothing, and of feeding appliances," and that " where an Infants' Milk Depot exists, full information
regarding it should be given to every parent as soon as possible after the birth of a child."
The establishment of such depots is, in the present state of the law ultra vires; but the London
County Council, in their General Powers Bill for the current Session, have introduced a clause to
enable Sanitary Authorities to provide them, and it may be assumed that the Government will
deal with the question.