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37
by water from the sewers, which has not only caused
great of discomfort, but a large amount of sickness
This subject will be found fully referred to in the
combined report.
On carefully looking over the mortality table, one
cannot but notice the large number of children who die
at an early age. Under 1 year it will be seen that no less
then 244 died ; whilst from 1 to 5, 181. Thus under
5 years of age 425 children died, or nearly half the
the total number of deaths. These are glaring facts, and
is undoubtedly a mortality much in excess of what it
should be; but how to deal with the matter is very
difficult. It is true young children are very prone to disease,
and require careful watching and nursing on the part of
their parents. Do they get the care which is necessary ?
It is no uncommon occurrence to be called to see infants
dying, and you are told the child was only noticed being
ill last night. The fact is, the mothers go out to work,
and the child put out to nurse, or left with its sisters or
brothers, and the ailment is not noticed till too late.
Another, and perhaps one of the most important points
in reference to infant life, is the practice of feeding.
Persons should know that the various preparations sold as
food for infants contain a large amount of starch, which is
absolutely indigestible for infants, and it is slowly starved,
the infant falls away, the mother, thinking it has not
sufficient food, gives it more, really adding to the mischief,
and at last the little thing from some wasting disease
passes away. The matter is one which calls for a full and
complete inquiry, and especially the subject in connection
with the insurance of infant life.
Complaints of nuisance arising from pig-keeping
have been unusually few for the past two years, the strict
supervision kept over them by the inspector, and the
magistrate in all instances ordering any nuisance to b