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street, Notting-hill. Thus all of the deaths save one were of
North Kensington infants ; none occurred in the Brompton
sub-district. Thirty-two of the deaths were of infants under
twelve months, and 11 of children aged between 12 and 24
months. All of the deaths save two (in which cases inquests
were held) were certified by medical practitioners. Six of the
deceased infants were illegitimate. In some cases complications
were recorded, as teething, wasting, vomiting, &c. The
parents generally belonged to the artizan and labouring
classes, and in about one half of the cases the mother went
out to work. There were not two fatal cases in any house,
but in some houses there was more than one case of illness in
the same or different families. The family occupied the entire
house in six instances, four rooms in four instances, three
rooms in eight instances, two rooms in sixteen instances and
one room in nine instances. With regard to the part of the
house occupied, it was the top floor in fifteen cases, the first
floor in ten cases, the ground floor in six cases, and the basement
in six cases. Of the 43 houses the rooms in 36 were in
a satisfactory state ; in five houses they were in a fair condition,
and in two houses they were in an unsatisfactory
condition. In 24 instances the death was of an only child—
a fact indicating maternal inexperience. The most important
fact ascertained was that only three of the 43 children were
suckled by their mothers: but ten of them, as has been said,
were between 12 and 24 months' old. Twenty of the children
were fed upon fresh cow's milk, to which probably—regard
being had to the state of the weather—"preservatives" had
been added ; and preservatives, as was formerly shown in a
special report* upon the subject, by the Public Analyst and
myself, are but too likely to set up gastric and intestinal
troubles. In 19 cases the children were fed upon condensed
milk, a food the different brands of which vary much in
nutritive value, the cheaper sorts being deprived of most, or
* No. 7, July 18th, 1887 (page 61), " Boracic Acid as a preservative of milk."