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18
National Conference on Infantile Mortality.*
Together with the Chairman of the Public Health and Housing
Committee, Mr. Councillor A. H. Darby, the Medical Officer attended the
National Conference on Infantile Mortality held at the Caxton Hall on
23rd, 24th and 25th March. The following resolutions were passed:—
I.—That this Conference expresses its appreciation of Parliament
having passed the Notification of Births Act, 1907, and
urges upon all Local Authorities the importance of adopting
the Act and appointing qualified women to carry out its
provisions.
II.—That, in order to combat the prevalent ignorance resulting in
wastage of infant life and injury to the health of many
survivors, the conference urges upon the Board of Education,
and upon Educational Authorities generally, the importance
of securing to all girls in every grade of school a satisfactory
training in domestic and personal hygiene and the duties of
womanhood.
• Most sympathetic replies were given by Mr. Asquith, Mr. Runciman, and Mr.
Burns to a deputation from the National Conference on Infantile Mortality which was
received in the Prime Minister's Room at the House of Commons on Friday, 26th
February, 1909.
The Prime Minister made a brief reply to the deputation, but its tone as well as
its phraseology was in a marked manner sympathetic. The concluding sentences of his
speech are worth quoting in extenso. " While we have had a general improvement in
sanitary conditions," said the Prime Minister, "this particular evil of infantile
mortality remains substantially unchanged. I think we must agree that the causes are
those which you have communicated to me to-day. First, there is the ignorance of the
mother; secondly, there is the not infrequently unskilful treatment from unqualified
or partially qualified practitioners at and after the birth of the child ; and thirdly, the
almost grotesquely bad forms of nutrition which the unfortunate child which survives
receives. There you have three causes co-operating to produce two results which are
almost equally bad. First, there is the waste of child life which has been connected
with the appalling rate of mortality of children under twelve months ; and, in the next
place, there is the growth to womanhood and manhood of children who at the most
critical time of their existence, considering the conditions under which their earlier
years are spent, never have a chance of developing into the raw material for good
workmen and good citizens. That is substantially the case you present us to-day.
Speaking now generally, I am heartily in sympathy with you and any practical form
of legislation which may be suggested will receive from the Government their most
sympathetic consideration."