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280
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF POPLAR.
PROPOSED POPLAR LADIES' VOLUNTARY HELPERS'
ASSOCIATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF INFANTILE
MORTALITY.
4,046 Infants under one year of age have died in Poplar during the last
five years.
IMMEDIATE OBJECT:
To visit systematically at the homes of newly-born infants, giving
friendly advice and counsel to the mother on the value of breast feeding,
cleanliness and fresh air.
OBJECT IN VIEW:
The formation of a "Centre" in each District, from which may be
worked a "Nursing Mothers' Milk Fund," "Baby's Welcome," and
" Cradle " Clubs, etc.
HELPERS ARE ASKED.
To try and interest others in the work.
To visit each case at LEAST once a month.
To enter particulars of each case on the paper supplied.
To report each month to the Health Visitor the number of visits paid
to each case, together with particulars as to Feeding, Mother's
work, &c.
Not to prescribe in case of illness, but to advise a visit to a medical
man, or attendance at one of the hospitals.
The Health Visitor will always be pleased to give advice in any case
of difficulty, or doubt.
Office hours, 9-10.30 a.m. Telephone "Eastern 737," or a postcard
to Public Health Offices, Bow Road, E.
Cost of postage for monthly reports, &c., will be refunded.
Public Health Department,
Bow Road, E.
18th May, 1908."
I am pleased to state that several definite promises of help have been
received, and it is hoped that these will be greatly augmented at a meeting
which it is proposed shall be held sometime in June. The Committee will
of course understand that it is impossible for all the births notified to be visited.
One visit does no permanent good, it is absolutely essential that friendly
relations shall be established with the mother, before hoping to effect any
reform, and this can only be done by regular visits. A small area has been
chosen in each parish (Poplar, Bromley, and Bow), and these will be enlarged
as additional help is forthcoming. The ideal method would certainly be
for a TRAINED worker to visit EACH birth, and then pass on to the Voluntary
Helper those requiring systematic visiting. ..............