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17
PART II.—SPECIAL SUBJECTS.
MATERNITY AND INFANT WELFARE.
The animal statistics in regard to births and deaths of infants are given on
pages 10-11 and 12-13 of this report.
Work of the Borough Health Visitors.
The time of the two half-time health visitors was very much taken up
during 1916 by work consequent upon the notification of measles and german
measles which was introduced at the beginning of the year. They were
therefore compelled to reduce still further the limited amount of visiting in
connection with maternity and other child welfare work which they were
doing. In spite of an increase in the visiting which was done from the
voluntary centres in the borough, the work done in this direction during the
year cannot but be regarded as inadequate in amount.
Appointment of two new Health Visitors.—In view of this position, the
Council decided at their last meeting in 1916 to carry into effect their
resolution of July, 1915, to engage two more women health workers, the
appointment of whom had been deferred by a later decision. Advertisements
were accordingly issued, and two new full-time health visitors were appointed
in January, 1917.
This increase brought the Council's permanent staff of women visitors to
five; viz.: one full-time sanitary inspector, two visitors who are half-time
sanitary inspectors and half-time health visitors, and two full-time health
visitors. The additional work amongst mothers and babies which the increase
in staff will permit is much curtailed by the time which the visiting of
notified cases of measles and german measles absorbs. The female inspectorial
staff was further increased during the year by the temporary appointment on
22nd November, 1916, of two women sanitary inspectors to help to relieve the
male sanitary inspectors, amongst whom there are six vacancies owing to
the war.
Notified Births.—The ordinary work of the department in regard to births
reported under the Notification of Births Act has been continued, an advice
card being sent to all the mothers, and a certain amount of visiting being
done by the health visitors. They were able to visit only 308 of the births
notified, and there was but little re-visiting done.
This work was supplemented to some extent by visiting done by the workers
of the voluntary centres. Practically all mothers bringing their children to
the consultations were visited from time to time, but in addition some initial