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It is difficult to estimate the amount of vital force and money
that is wasted in the premature deaths of infants; but it is
interesting to notice that if the infant mortality rate of forty
years ago in Hornsey existed to-day, we should, during the past
year, have witnessed the deaths of 91 children under one year
of age who are now alive and well. During the past ten years
approximately 710 children's lives have been saved which would
have been lost had they been living under the conditions that
were found in 1880-1890. Although these figures are remarkable,
they tell only a small part of the truth; for they make no
allowance for the large number of children who have been saved
from attacks of non-fatal sickness. An infant who has passed
through a bad attack of diarrhoea or survived a severe attack of
measles or of whooping cough, is a child who subsequently is often
badly damaged : its health is sub-normal, its nutrition is impaired,
its powers of resistance are lowered. Such a survivor tends to
become one of those human wrecks which we see, too frequently,
in our hospitals and poor-law infirmaries. The great reduction in
infant mortality and in infant sickness has prevented many a
child from becoming a chronic invalid in after days.
Staff.—The organisation of the Maternity and Child Welfare
Work in the Borough is under the control of the Medical Officer
of Health. He is assisted by a part-time lady doctor, Dr. Flora
Shepherd, who conducts infant consultations at Brook Road
Centre on two days in the week and at Wightman Road Centre
on one day in the week. An ante-natal clinic is also held at both
the centres by Dr. Jessie Muir, who is paid for her service from
funds collected by the mothers themselves. In addition, there are
three Health Visitors whose duties are to visit and advise mothers
and to help in the work at the centres. A midwife is engaged by
the Town Council, and her work is much appreciated by the
mothers.
Voluntary Workers.—It would not be possible to do such
good work at the centres if we were not helped by a number of
voluntary workers. These ladies devote much time to their valuable
work, both at Brook Road and at Wightman Road, and it
is largely owing to their unselfish labour and untiring activity
that our Maternity and Child Welfare Work has been so successful
during the year.