Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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11
Particulars Recorded.
Cases in which Particulars were Recorded.
Survivors.
Deaths.
Number.
Per Cent.
Per Cent.
Number.
a. Occupation of Mother—
Laundry work 133 13 18 40
Charing, house-work (out) 36 3 6 14
Other occupations 29 3 7 16
No occupation 859 81 69 152
Totals 1,057 100 100 222
b. Mode of Feeding—
Cow's milk 34 3 21 38
Breast and cow's milk 15 1 10 18
Breast and condensed milk 3 0.3 2 3
Breast and other foods 3 0.3 3 5
Condensed milk 7 1 6 11
Other artificial foods 4 0.4 3 6
Total artificial 66 6 45 81
Breast alone 1,010 94 55 100
Totals 1,076 100 100 181
c. Number of Rooms in Tene-
ment—
1 237 23 22 47
2 566 56 61 127
3 148 15 9 19
4 or more 60 6 8 16
Totals 1,011 100 100 209
Basement rooms only 88 9 17 35
Housing.—The figures in the above table suggest that an infant's chance of surviving is not
materially worse in a 1 or two room tenement than in a tenement containing 3 or 4 rooms.
Basement rooms on the other hand appear to exert a distinctly prejudicial influence, the
proportion of such tenements being 17 per cent. for deaths, as against 9 per cent. for survivors.
PREVENTION OF INFANTILE MORTALITY.
Work with a view to improving the physique of infants and reducing the infantile death-rate
is carried out by the Council's Health Visitors and a number of voluntary agencies. During the
year the two Health Visitors have been to the homes of 1,874 newly-born infants, and have paid
3,894 visits or re-visits for the purpose of giving advice in infant management. The first visit is
as far as may be possible timed to take place between the 10th and 20th day after the birth of
the child, and if the midwife or doctor in charge of the case has ceased attending a printed card
of advice is left with the mother. The printed instructions are explained and notes are made
on the health of the child and the condition of its home. If the infant is making progress in a
satisfactory home, and especially if the mother's previous history as to ability to nurse and rear
her children is good, a second visit may not be necessary. Where, as in the case of a first baby,
the mother is in need of further advice, re-visits are paid according to the necessities of each case.