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196
women who work during pregnancy, are unduly affected. The percenage
of still-births for the period under review is 3.3 per cent. of the
number of births notified. The approximate (I cannot give them quite
correctly) figures for the same period 1914, was 1.9 per cent.
Maternity Centre.
No expectant mothers attended at Bow Baths.
Total attendance of infants 793
Average weekly attendance 15.5
„ attendance of each infant 3.4
Miscellaneous.
The visits under this heading, were nearly all paid to cases of births
not notified to this Department. Several false addresses had been given
—in each case the Registrar affected was communicated with.
Vital Statistics.
This is the last time these figures will be given in the form appended.
Practically the whole of the births notified are now visited, and any
comparisons drawn between the rate of infantile mortality, Borough v.
Infants visited, would only lead to misunderstandings. The mortality
amongst the infants has increased (117 per 1,000 visited, as against
83.209 in 1913), despite the amount of money and energy spent in the
Borough by the various organisations working directly and indirectly
for the preservation of infant life. One sometimes thinks there is too
much visiting. I myself was unfortunate enough to be the fifth to call on
one mother, and the number of visitors who might call is positively
staggering when you try to reckon them up !
New Register of Births.
This has now been in use a full year, and has effected a great saving
both in time and money—indeed, with the great yearly increase in the
number of infants kept under supervision, it would have been impossible
to have coped with the work under the old Birth Card system, without
help. The "Card Index" of streets serves as an Index to the Register.
The Birth Cards for Infants born in 1914, are, of course, still to be worked
off.