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number of still-born births, which occur in the proportion
of one still-born to every 40 living, would also be
lessened.
In order that expectant mothers may be able to obtain
medical guidance, two of the doctors on the staff, Miss
Alice Benham, M. D., and Miss Mildred Burgess, M.D.,
have undertaken to hold an ante-natal clinic. The
midwives practising in Fulham, have been invited to
bring to the clinic any of their patients about whose
health they are anxious, or who have previously had
difficult or premature confinements,
Appointment of Health Visitors.
For some years past the need for the appointment
of Health Visitors, whose chief duties would be
to visit homes in which births have occurred and give
advice to the mothers with regard to the feeding of the
infant and its healthy upbringing, has been repeatedly
urged upon the Council, and as the Local Government
Board had in several circulars issued during 1914 and
1915 brought under the notice of the Council the
necessity at the present time for taking all possible steps
to secure the health of mothers and children, I again
submitted a report on the question which will be found
in the Appendix.
The Council on consideration of the report decided to
appoint two Health Visitors at salaries of £100 a year
rising to £125, of which a moiety will be repaid to the
Council by the Local Government Board. To these
posts Mrs. Bryning and Miss Durnford were appointed
and commenced their duties on April 1st, 1916.
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.
Of the 446 infants who died before attaining the age
of one year, 53 or 12 per cent were illegitimate, the
mortality among them being in the proportion of 280
deaths per 1,000 births, against 107 per 1,000 among
children born in wedlock.