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84
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
the addition of any other food. In other six cases the mother's milk
was supplemented by cows' milk.
In 78, or 82.9 per cent. of the deaths, cows' milk, either alone or
with some other food, was used, while in 28, or 22.5 per cent., condensed
milk alone, or in combination with farinaceous food, was used.
A special effort has been made duriDg the year under consideration
to do something to lessen the infantile mortality from this and
other causes, and for this purpose another female Sanitary Inspector was
appointed, in accordance with the report of the Public Health Committee.
In 1905 a considerable number of visits have been paid by the
two female inspectors to houses where births have occurred, and
enquiries made as to the method of feeding. Advice was given to
those requiring it as to the proper methods, and the circular which was
included in last year's Report was left in every case.
As these Inspectors were brought into direct contact with the
mothers I considered it advisable that they should specially report to
me on the matter, and their report was as follows:—
"We beg to submit our report on the visits paid to mothers with
regard to the feeding of Infants.
As it was a new phase of work there were naturally difficulties
to surmount; but on the whole we have been well received, and in
many instances our visits and revisits have been warmly welcomed.
During the Diarrhcea epidemic in July, August and September we
were frequently asked to visit infants who were not on our list of
births, and our advice to these mothers was followed by beneficial
results.
Table I subjoined shows the number of visits we paid after
notification of birth, the method of feeding, and the number of those
visited who died during the year. The ineffectual visits mentioned
are due to the migratory character of the population in the poorer
districts. In many instances the family had removed immediately
after the registration of the birth—a contingency which might not
arise were earlier registration compulsory. In some cases false
addresses were given, and in others we frequently called two or
three times before finding the mothers at home.