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referred to the private practitioner or Guy's Hospital. Our work
aims at prevention rather than cure. We endeavour to impress
upon the mothers the importance of breast feeding, and give her
advice on the technique of this. There is a prevalent idea that
mothers do not require teaching on this subject, and while this may
be true of people living in a state of nature, it is not correct about
modern mothers, since they are brought up in highly artificial conditions,
and need instruction in the art of breast feeding just as much
as artificial feeding both in infancy and later life.
In addition to the two Municipal Baby Classes mentioned
above, there are four similar classes, conducted by voluntary
agencies in other parts of the Borough. There is the Rotherhithe
and Bermondsey Babies' Institute, which has three branches—
one at Princes Street, Rotherhithe, one at West Lane, and one at
the Central Hall. There is also another one run in connection with
the Princess Club, Jamaica Road, which was moved temporarily to
39, St. James Road. These centres are very well attended by
mothers anxious for advice, and a lady doctor attends at each of
them on certain days to give advice on feeding and minor complaints,
very much on the lines of our own.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
The question of Maternity and Child Welfare was first considered
by the Council in a report on the matter to the Public Health
Committee on 24th November, 1914. This was adjourned and
re-considered at the meeting on January 26, 1915, when a general
scheme was suggested with an estimate. This much was reported
in the Annual Report for 1914. The matter was adjourned to
February 9th, and it was again adjourned to March 9th. At this
date it was adjourned again, and was not taken up till I made the
following report to the Committee on the 30th November, with a
recommendation of additional Health Visitors to be appointed.
"In March of the present year a report was made by me on
the above subject, but owing to financial reasons the Council