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Report of the Medical Officer of Health. 77
In the opinion of the Committee the causes of the infantile deathrate
are farther to seek, and from evidence submitted, it is clearly due
to many causes, of which the milk question is but one.
The remedy must clearly be sought for in the better education of
parents, better surroundings, and other matters that go to make
healthier and stronger children.
A loss of only ₤250 per annum would cover the cost of a
Notification of Epidemic Diarrhoea, and this would probably lead to
more good in giving opportunities of visiting the homes and instructing
the mothers. This cost would be a Metropolitan and not a Borough
charge. Further, if properly equipped depots were established over
the Borough, the loss is estimated at not less than ₤1,000. The
Committee is of opinion that such a sum would be more profitably
spent on the salaries of several lady sanitary inspectors or health
visitors. Such a sum would include about seven salaries.
The Committee suggests, therefore, that the London County
Council be asked to include Zymotic or Epidemic Enteritis among
infants in the list of notifiable diseases during the months of July,
August, and September; that in the housewifery classes in elementary
schools the proper tending and feeding of infants should be systematically
taught; and that any further steps, if considered advisable,
should be in the direction of circularising the public as to the advantages
of keeping milk covered from contamination of flies, the boiling
of milk, &c.; and the engagement of extra lady sanitary inspectors to
act as health visitors.
This report was submitted to, and adopted by, the Council on the
26th October.
It was decided to issue a circular which might be widely distributed
in the Borough, giving instructions as to the proper method
of feeding infants. The following circular was then drawn up and
laid before the Committee, who approved of it:—
Infants should be fed at the breast for at least nine months from
birth.