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22
1933]
DUTIES CONCERNED WITH INFANT LIFE PROTECTION UNDER THE
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS ACTS, 1908 to 1932.
As mentioned in my introductory letter, this is part of the work taken over by
the Borough Council from the London County Council under the Transfer of
Powers (London) Order, 1933, and one of our Health Visitors was appointed
Infant Protection Visitor. The work dates from the 1st April, and, therefore, has
not been undertaken for a complete year.
The number of persons on the Register who were receiving children for reward
at the end of the year was 160 ; the number of children on the Register at the end
of the year was 222 ; three children died during the year.
The work takes up fully three-quarters of the appointed officer's time. Other
duties devolve upon the Sanitary Inspectors who visit to obtain a proper survey of
the accommodation ere the foster-mother is approved by the Committee. Much
time is taken up in endeavouring to trace for ourselves and for other Boroughs
children whose whereabouts are for the moment uncertain.
In spite of the fact that registration has been in force for some considerable
time and inspection carried out under the auspices of the London County Council
previous to our receiving the transferred powers, there appears to be a great
amount of ignorance, real or assumed. When cases of infringement of the Acts
are discovered, these plausible excuses of ignorance are generally forthcoming.
Efforts are being made by leaflets and otherwise to spread a knowledge of the
provisions of the law as regards women who take over the duties of foster-mothers.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has afforded us
help in three cases which we referred to them.
Next year, being a complete year, a fuller account of the work done will be
given.
DEATHS IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
Within the Borough.—2,335 persons died in the Public Institutions
located in Islington, of whom 1,604 belonged to this Borough, the remaining 731
having come here for treatment or relief. Of this latter, 408 died in the Archway
Hospital, 163 in the Royal Northern Central Hospital, 37 in the London Fever
Hospital, and 54- in the St. Mary's Islington Hospital and Islington Institution.
Of the 1,604 deaths of inhabitants, 1,163 occurred in the St. Mary's Islington
Hospital, 202 in the Islington Institution, and 108 in the Royal Northern Central
Hospital. The proportion which the 1,604 deaths in the Public Institutions bore
to the Borough mortality was 40.5 per cent.
Without the Borough.— 917 deaths of persons belonging to Islington
were registered as occurring in Public Institutions in districts of London outside
the Borough and in various provincial towns. They included, among others,
26 in the North-Western Fever Hospital, 26 in the Children's Hospital, Great
Ormond Street, 53 in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, 23 in the Infirmary, Friern
Barnet, 59 in the Royal Free Hospital, 67 in the University College Hospital, 35
in the North-Eastern Hospital, 5 in the Eastern Fever Hospital, 28 in the
Middlesex Hospital, 10 in the City of London Maternity Hospital, 24 in the
Metropolitan Hospital, and 18 at la, Manor Road, Ilford (Claybury).
These 917 deaths represented 23.2 per cent. of all the deaths registered in
the year.