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50 mortality of childhood.
death of the children before the visitor called, and 261 on account of removal or wrong
address being given. From the 2,097 reports handed in, 97 have to be excluded on account
of uncertainty in the most important detail—the manner of feeding of the children—thus
leaving 2,000 effective reports, an increase of 44 above the total for 1908. During 1908 the
Staff of the Department and the Health Visitor of the Society paid 3,727 visits. Last year
the Staff of the Department made 1,498 visits, but the number of visits by the Society's Visitor
cannot be given owing to changes in the appointment.
Except in special cases, it is not desirable that the first visit should be made before the
third week of the child's life, and it should not be delayed much after the fourth week. Last
year 721 children were visited during those weeks, equal to 36 per cent. of the total,
whereas in 1908 the percentage was 23'9. The number of children visited before reaching
the age of one month was 914 (or 46 per cent.) last year, as compared with 578 (or 29.5 per
cent.) in 1908. Although the proportion of late visits (those after an interval of a month)
decreased from 70 per cent. in 1908 to 54 per cent. last Year, it is felt that there is still room
for much improvement in the timing of the first visit.

Feeding.—Of 1,480 children visited before reaching the age of three months, 1,265 were
reported as being fed at the breast only, equal to 85 per cent., as compared with 81 per cent.
in 1908. The increase in the proportion, though slight, may be considered satisfactory.
During the third month of life—that is, at ages 2-3 months—76.8 per cent. of the children
were similarly fed, or nearly 8 per cent. more than 1908 (69.2 per cent.). The total proportion
of children artificially reared (by bottle) decreased from 17.2 per cent. in 1908 to 12 per
cent. last year; but that of those on a mixed diet (breast supplemented by bottle, etc.)
increased from 7 per cent. to 8 per cent. The proportions of children under three months of
age so fed were 5.3 in 1908 and 5.8 last year.
Other Conditions.—The state of health of the child visited was noted in 1,802 reports,
being described as "good" in 1,563 instances (86.6 per cent. of all) and as "indifferent" in
239. Satisfactory home conditions were reported in 1,488 out of 1,548 homes concerning
which any comment was made, equal to 93.9 per cent. of such homes.
Family Histories.—Four hundred and twenty-one (421) of the children visited were first
born, equal to 21 per cent. of ail the children visited. From information given by the parents
it appeared that 4,360 children had been born alive in 1,312 families, that number being
exclusive of the children visited during the year. In 443 families 808 children had died,
nearly all in childhood. The average number of children per family, including those born