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16
infant mortality.
The deaths of children under one year of age were at the rate of 108 per 1,000
births, as against 85 for the whole of London.
The Table of infantile mortality on p. 17 shows the deaths of children under
one year arranged according to monthly age periods. From this it will be seen
that no less than 60.0 per cent. of these deaths occurred in the first month, 73.3 per
cent. within the first three months, and 86.6 per cent. during the first six months
of existence.
Attempts are made, and, I believe, with some degree of success, to assist
parents in successfully bringing up children born within the City boundaries.
Infant mortality was at the rate of 108 per 1,000 and the tables indicate the
number and causes of death, none of which require special comment. The chief
variation in past work is in consequence of the passing of the Maternity and
Child Welfare Act, 1918, the following sections of which make it essential that
Local Authorities should consider what action they will take in respect to Maternity
and Child Welfare work:—
"Any local authority within the meaning of the Notification of Births Act, 1907,
"may make such arrangements as may be sanctioned by the Local Government Board
"for attending to the health of expectant mothers and nursing mothers, and of
"children who have not attained the age of five years, and are not being educated in
"schools recognised by the Board of Education."
"Provided that nothing in the Act shall authorise the establishing by any local
"authority of a general domiciliary service by individual practitioners."
Certain responsibilities are attached to the above authorisations :—
(i.) That any scheme shall be approved by the Local Government Board, and
(ii.) That the constitution of the Committee administering such scheme shall include
at least two women.
If these requirements are complied with the Local Government Board will
contribute up to 50 per cent. of the approved expenditure.
Under the terms of the Act the following matters may be included in the
scope of any work undertaken in this connection:—
Hospital treatment for children up to five years of age.
Lying-in homes.
Home helps.
Provision of food for expectant and nursing mothers, and for children under five
years of age.
Creches and Day Nurseries.
Convalescent Homes.
Homes for the children of widowed and deserted mothers, and for illegitimate
children.
Experimental work for the health of expectant and nursing mothers, and of
infants and children under five years of age.
Before arriving at a decision as to what work in addition to that already
undertaken by the City Corporation in this direction should be carried on, the
Sanitary Committee gave special and careful consideration to the needs of this
district.
The population of the City consists largely of adults without children.
Charitable institutions which distribute doles to necessitous persons exist on a
scale probably in excess of that in any similar sized population in the country,
and these institutions minister to the needs of whatever poor there may be in
the City.
As regards the necessity for medical attendance, the population is again
favoured by having in close proximity to any City residence one or more hospitals
of importance, at which medical assistance can be obtained if the services of a
private medical man cannot be paid for.