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welfare work
The usual clean-up of the Paddington Basin took place at Easter time, some 225 tons of
mud being removed from the bottom of the cut, on which 582 sq. yds. of new concrete
were laid down in addition to extensive repairs to the retaining walls. The run-off valve at
the foot of Harrow Road Bridge was abolished and a new 22-in. valve fixed lower down,
connected directly to the sewer in Harrow Road.
The Annual Report of the Examining Officer of Canal Boats was presented to the Council
at the end of January, the material parts of which are included in Table XX. No
case of infectious disease was reported last year among the boat population and only one
death (f., aged two, from diarrhœa) was registered locally.
Of the 226 boats on the Register only 113 habitually use the Paddington Basin. The
population on the boats inspected during the year included 76 children, of whom 47 were of
school age. One of the recommendations of the Departmental Committee appointed by the
Minister of Health to inquire into the practice of living-in on Canal Boats, was to the effect
that children of school age, i.e., between 5 and 14 years old, should be excluded from these
boats during term time.
II.—WELFARE WORK.
Ante-natal Clinics.—Clinics are held once a week at 232, Harrow Road (the School for
Mothers) and at St. Mary's Hospital. At the former 330 expectant Mothers attended during
the year, the total number of attendances being 633. At St. Mary's Hospital 310 Paddington
mothers attended, the total attendances numbering 1,220. Of the women attending the latter
Clinic 74 were admitted to the Hospital and 220 were confined in their homes under the care
of the Extern Staff of the Hospital.
From certain parts of the Borough expectant mothers attend the Ante-Natal Clinic at
Queen Charlotte's Hospital. Separate records for the Borough are not kept at the Hospital.
Clinics at other Hospitals are also attended by the women from the Borough.
It is certain that last year something approaching one-third of the expectant mothers
living in the Borough attended these various Clinics, and it is probable that the proportion
was nearer one-half.
Health Visiting.—The Council's Health Visitors visited 2,041 new-born infants during the
year. At the time of the visit—which should be between the 10th and 14th day after birth —
1709 infants were being fed naturally (i.e. from the breast), 173 artificially and 159 were on a
mixed diet (see below).

The number of infants reported as fed otherwise than from the breast are in a sense
fallacious as a guide to the method of feeding new-born infants. Of the 173 reported as fed
artificially only 44 (25.4 percent.) were less than one month old, and of the 159 on a mixed
diet, 47 29.5 per cent.). The delay in making the first visits which these figures indicate
while regrettable, has been unavoidable.
Of the 2,041 infants visited 68 died before the close of the year, i.e., before December 31st,
which death were equivalent to a mortality of 33 per 1,000 visited infants. That proportion
has not the same significance as the infantile mortality rate but affords a rough idea of the
mortality among these infants. Of the 68 infants dying, 43 (25 per 1,000) were reported as
breast fed, 14 (81 per 1,000)as artificially fed and 11 (69 per 1,000) as on a mixed diet—rates
which, with all their defects, convincingly demonstrate the risks attaching to methods of
feeding other than the natural. Comparison is made below with the corresponding rates for
1999 and 1920.