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94 Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Infant Visiting.
The total number of visits and re-visits was 7,684, of which
3,506 were first visits as against 2,724 in the previous year. The
re-visits totalled 4,178, as against 2,907. 162 re-inspections were
made in respect of premises for which notice had been served. At
the first visit 2,781 infants w'ere wholly breast fed, 254 were breast
fed supplemented by artificial feeding, and the remainder on cows',
condensed or dried milks.
On re-visiting, 2,036 were entirely breast fed, the remaining
2,142 being fed on 'cows', condensed or dried milks, supplemented
by some form of farinaceous food.
Ninety-four of the infants visited died during the year (15 in
Clapham, 10 in Putney, 15 in Balham, nine in Streatham, 12 in
Tooting and 30 in Wandsworth). As shown by the table, the
highest mortality occurred between the ages of two and three
months, seven died under one month, and 45 died before reaching
the age of four months. 135 of the infants visited were prematurely
born and 93 were delicate from birth, 82 twin births were visited
and one of triplets, of whom the latter and four of the twin births
died.
With regard to the employment of midwives, 1,509 mothers
had employed their services, 214 infants were born in hospitals
and other institutions, and one unregistered woman was employed.
304 children between the ages of one and two years were
visited and 888 were re-visited. 509 children between the ages
of two and five years were visited, 2,048 were re-visited.
The sanitary defects found in the houses during the V'sits to
the mothers were all dealt with in the usual way. Cases in which
defects were found were referred to me by the health visitors, and,
in addition, 74 intimation notices and four statutory notices were
served by the two health visitors who are also sanitary inspectors.