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64 MORTALITY IN CHILDHOOD.
68.6 per cent Fortunately, the School for Mothers" was able to supply some of the deficiency
of the Department, 1,041 babies being seen by the Visitors attached to the "School." Among
those babies the proportion being breast-fed at the first visit was 88 per cent. The total number
of children visited was 1,373, as compared with 1,732 in 1911 (a decrease of nearly 21 per cent.),
and 1,988 in 1910 (a decrease of 31 per cent.).
From the information supplied by 253 mothers it appeared that they had had altogether
1,092 pregnancies, with 30 miscarriages and 40 still births. The average number of pregnancies
was 4.3 (most of the families were "incomplete"), the maximum for any woman being 15, with
3 miscarriages and one still birth. The miscarriages averaged 27.4 per 1,000 pregnancies, and the
still births 36 6. The children born alive numbered 1,042, of whom 143 (137 2 per 1,000) were
dead at the time of the visit, such deaths occurring in 90 families, 35.5 per cent. of the whole
number. From the information supplied the causes of death have been analysed as here given:-
Measles, 8; whooping cough, 16; scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria, 8.
Diarrhoeal diseases, 11.
Premature birth, 9 ; congenital defects, 3; atrophy and debility, 23.
Convulsions, 17 ; dentition, 4.
Bronchitis and pneumonia, 16.
Other (less defined) diseases, 14 ; cause not known, 13.
Making every allowance for the mistakes by mothers, the preponderance of preventable
mortality is very evident. The ages at death of the children ranged from 16 years down to a
few months.
Among the 1,373 children visited there were 98 deaths during the year, equal to a mortality
of 71 per 1,000. The deaths among the unvisited children included-in addition to those born
to parents to whom any visiting appeared to be unnecessary-in addition to 76 of children aged
under ten days, 22 of children whose births had taken place beyond the Borough and not been
reported; 10 not traced (wrong addresses); 26 "hopeless births," being births not known until
the registration of death.
Infant Consultations.-The "School for Mothers" maintained two centres throughout the
year, each having its own medical staff. During the past year 2,903 attendances were made by
470 babies, as compared with 2,667 attendances by 452 babies in 1911. (See below.)
Attendances at the Consultation centres:-
No. of babies attending Total
Consultations. Attendances.
South Centre. Born in 1910 2
Do. 1911 124
Do. 1912 175
301 1,813
North Centre. Do. 1911 85
Do. 1912 84
169 1,090
The "School" provides dinners for expectant and nursing mothers, at very low rates (a few
free). Last year 169 mothers attending the consultations had meals, and 77 others were sent by
the Queen Charlotte's Lying.in Hospital. Milk is also supplied both for mothers and babies
in the same way. Last year 1,170 milk rations were issued.
The "School" also undertook the provision of the special preparations of milk for children
ill with diarrhoea. The cooler summer rendered the demand for such preparations very small,
and only 72 patients were supplied. (See below.)
Patients attending-
St. Marys Hospital 38
Children's Hospital (Paddington Green) 7
Paddington Provident Dispensary 1
Board of Guardians 19
Consultation Cases 7