View report page

17
This shows an improvement on last year's figures, the number of
infants entirely hand-fed having been reduced by 2.1 per cent.
"Visits paid at a later date showed a larger number of infants to
be wholly or partly hand-fed, the reason being to some extent due to
the fact that many mothers were unable to obtain sufficient nourishment
at the time when they most needed it, the fathers being out of
work or earning very little at the time.
"The clergy have helped some of the poorest cases, but their funds
are insufficient to meet all the demands made upon them.
"During the latter half of last year a desire was expressed by
several mothers to have their children weighed weekly, in order to
see how they were progresising. These were chiefly infants who were
not thriving, and in some cases weighing had been recommended by a
doctor.
"At the end of the year an Infant Weighing Machine was purchased,
and has proved most useful. Eleven infants (the number is
steadily increasing) were brought to the Town Hall weekly to be
weighed. This is very much appreciated by the mothers, and it gives
me an excellent opportunity of supervising the feeding, clothing, and
general care of the children.
"Several infants have made a marked improvement since their
first visit; in one or two cases, the babies having reached a good
standard of weight and healthiness, the mothers have discontinued
bringing them to be weighed."
During the year the number of visits paid by the voluntary
workers, in respect of births, infant deaths, and sufferers from consumption,
amounted to about 300.
Separate cots or cradles are at present the exception rather than
the rule, particularly during the cold weather.
The dangerous long tube feeding bottle is gradually becoming
less popular, but is still to be found; and one generally finds that
B