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105
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
birth of the fifth child. In the majority of cases where the
breast was not being- given on the first visit, the weaning had
been due to the ill-health of the mother.
"We are glad to say that the use of boat bottles is largely
on the increase. 290 boat bottles were used (Balham 40,
Tooting 90, Fairfield 38, Springfield 122), as against 105 tube
bottles (Balham 23, Tooting 44, Fairfield eight, Springfield
30). Both tube and boat bottles were being use in 14 instances
(Tooting 11, Fairfield three), the tube bottles being
generally given at night. On our advice boat bottles were
substituted for tube in 18 cases (Balham four, Tooting nine,
Fairfield one, Springfield four), and spoons were used in
preference to bottles in 45 instances (Balham four, Tooting
21, Fairfield seven, Springfield 13).
"Our difficulty in tracing illegitimate births was as great
this year as last. In the Springfield Ward three wrong
addresses were given, and though enquiries were made
through the Registrar it was impossible to trace them.
Eleven had removed immediately after the birth (Balham
three, Tooting six, Fairfield one, Springfield one), and we
could get no information as to where they had gone; three
died previous to our visit, two of whom were premature.
Therefore out of the 57 registered illegitimate births we were
only successful in visiting 40. Of these 10 came into the
Borough solely for the confinement, five from the West End
of London, one from Battersea, one from Mitcham, and three
from country districts. Breast feeding was more general this
year, 17 being entirely breast fed on the first visit, and in one
instance where the infant was having food in addition the
mother had discontinued this and was giving the breast only
on the second visit. Four only of those we visited died, one in
Balham from Marasmus (a nurse child); two in Tooting from
Bronchitis, both being in the care of the grandmother; and
one in the Fairfield Ward from Diarrhoea, nursed entirely by
the mother. Four only out of the 40 were delicate from birth,
and of those none died ; thus again it will be seen that the
majority of illegitimate children are born healthy, but the
general necessity of the mothers to resume work as soon as
possible after confinement is a fruitful source of danger to
the children.