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26
Infantile Mortality.
The table of Infantile Mortality shows that 25.5 per cent. of the
deaths occurred during the first month, and that 59.4 of these were
during the first week after birth. The large number of deaths under the
heads of premature birth, atrophy and debility, congenital defects and
convulsions, point to the physically poor and feeble condition of the
mothers. The usual practice in Southwark is for mothers to breast feed
their children, chiefly because it is more economical, and as very few of
the mothers work away from home, there is very little difficulty when
they are strong in getting this done.
There is, however, a class of ill-developed, half-starved mothers, who
whatever their wish may be, are unable from sheer poverty to produce
milk fit for the baby. It is in this class that the infantile mortality
assumes such huge proportions. They are obliged from insufficiency of
milk to give up the idea of breast feeding and to resort to the bottle for
the infant, with all its horrors and disastrous effects.
It is a difficult matter to decide as to how far the public authority
should take in hand the feeding of these infants who if left alone must
certainly die. It seems to be rather irrational that the badly equipped in
the way of getting a living, should be allowed to go on living and having
children without some attempt being made either to improve their citizen
qualities, or to restrict in some way their privileges.
In our Borough the manufacture of this bad and undesirable class
appears to me to be increasing year by year, and now stands as a serious
menace to the health and prosperity of the district.
Much attention has been given during the year by the lady inspectors
to the condition of the poorer class of houses and to the care and proper
bringing up of infants.
The present fashion of parents relieving themselves of all responsibility
for the proper equipment of their children after school age for
becoming good citizens, is largely responsible for the crime and distress
we see around us. If it is necessary and wise to give a child an acquaintance
with the rudiments of a general education, how much more useful
must it be to him to be taught a handicraft to enable him if well
conducted, to earn a wage sufficient to allow him to live in a decent
manner. Until this is done little blame can attach to those who, from
hardly any fault of their own, are marching on to swell the large army of
"undesirables."