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Court Ward this has now been improved and Baron's
Court Ward for 1925 is fourth highest, Lillie Ward
being the worst, followed by Walham Ward and Hurlingham
Ward. Again, as in previous years, Town
Ward has the lowest infantile mortality rate.
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.—Of the 211 infants
who died before attaining the age of one year, 8 were
illegitimate, the mortality amongst them being in the
proportion of 56 per thousand births against 77 per
thousand amongst children born in wedlock. This is a
most unusual state of affairs, as the illegitimate infantile
mortality rate is usually considerably higher than the
legitimate, but during the last three years in Fulham
there has been a steady fall in the illegitimate infantile
mortality rate ; in 1923 it was 155 per thousand, in
1924, 106 per thousand, and now in 1925, 56. Possibly
this is due to the fact that the Health Visitors always
pay very particular attention to illegitimate babies,
but there would appear to be some other factor at
work, possibly a moral one, of which I am unaware.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
It would be well to take the opportunity in this
survey report to give in some detail the arrangements
in force in the Borough in connection with the various
branches of the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare
Scheme. This scheme is the result of the gradual
growth of various elements and the greater part of it
came into operation during the period of office of my
predecessor, Dr. Jackson. Certain alterations and
additions have been made during the past five years,
but the bulk of the work stands as he left it. In dealing
with each individual institution, I shall therefore
give a short account of its development.
Notification of Births.—The notification of births
first came into force in the year 1908, subsequent to
the passing of the Notification of Births Act, 1907.
This act has for its object the giving of early notification
to the Medical Officer of Health as to all births, thus
enabling the houses to be visited by the Health Visitors
and advice given to the mothers where necessary.