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181
Public Health.
had been completed, with the result that 534, or 10.8 per cent., proved tuberculous. The milk came
from some 27 different counties. During the year 2,766 samples were taken, of which 268 were found
to be tuberculous. The Council's veterinary inspector visited for inspection purposes, since the Act
came into operation, 1,119 farms and inspected 28,797 cows, of which number 483, or 1.7 per cent., were
found to be affected with tuberculosis of the udder. The owners of the animals affected undertook
that the use for human consumption of the milk should be discontinued immediately. During the
year 490 farms were visited and 12,875 cows were examined, of which 117 were found with tuberculous
udders.
Under the provisions of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904, by which
the Council is authorised to seize and slaughter any cow suspected to be suffering from tuberculosis
of the udder, the cows in London cowsheds are examined about six times in the year by a
veterinary inspector appointed by the Council.
During the year under review 27 animals have been seized and slaughtered under the Act, and
compensation amounting to £263 12s. 6d. has been paid, the post-mortem examination showing in each
case that the udder of the animal was tuberculous.
Infant Life
Protection,
The Council administers (except in the City of London) Part I. of the Children Act, 1908, which
re-enacted most of the provisions of the Infant Life Protection Act, 1897, but amended in important
respects the law relating to the protection of infant life. The Council has delegated its powers under
Part I. of the Act to the Public Control Committee, and a staff, consisting of 2 male and 7 female
inspectors, is employed under the direction of the chief officer of the public control department in
administering the provisions of the Act.
The duties of the local authority under the Act include the institution of inquiries as to persons
who undertake the nursing and maintenance of infants, and the appointment of infant protection
visitors to inspect places where infants are kept. The local authority is also required to satisfy itself
as to the proper maintenance of the infants. Notice has to be given to the local authority in cases
where one infant is received, instead of two or more, as was provided in the Infant Life Protection
Act, 1897, and the age limit of infants is raised from 5 to 7 years. The Act also contains a provision
making void any policy of insurance on the life of an infant when taken out by any person who shall
have the custody of such infant for reward, and making it an offence for any such person to insure or
attempt to insure the life of such infant. Under the Act the local authority is empowered to fix the
number of infants which may be kept in a dwelling as to which notice has been given, and to arrange
for the removal from a notified house of an infant improperly kept.
Persons guilty of an offence under Part I. of the Act are liable on summary conviction to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to a fine not exceeding £25. Any such fines
are to be paid to the local authority.
The extension of the law to all homes in which nurse infants taken for hire or reward are kept
has increased very largely the number of homes and infants coming under the supervision of the
Council. On 31st March, 1909, the number of homes under inspection by the Council's officers was
268, containing 668 infants, and on 31st March, 1910, these numbers had risen to 1,792 and 2,413
respectively.
Section 2 (2) of the Act provides, inter alia, that where any infants have been placed out to
nurse by any philanthropic society the local authority may, if satisfied that the interests of the infants
are properly safeguarded, authorise the society to exercise the powers of infant protection visitors in
respect of such infants, subject, however, to the obligation to furnish periodical reports to the local
authority. Under this provision the Council approved 17 societies for the purpose of undertaking
the powers in question, but during the year one of these societies was, at its own request, relieved of
the obligations which it had undertaken in the matter.
Powers and
duties of the
Council
under the
Midwives
Act, 1902.
By section 8 of the Midwives Act, 1902, every council ot a county or county borough in England
and Wales is constituted a local supervising authority over midwives with in its area. The duties of
a local supervising authority are :—(1) to exercise general supervision over all midwives practising
within the county or county borough ; (2) to investigate charges of malpractice, negligence or misconduct
on the part of any practising midwife ; (3) to suspend from practice any midwife if such
suspension appears necessary in order to prevent the spread of infection ; (4) to report at once to
the Central Midwives Board the name of any midwife convicted of an offence ; (5) during the month
of January in each year to send to the Central Midwives Board a list of all midwives who during
the preceding year had notified their intention to practise within the county ; (6) to keep a current
copy of the roll of midwives accessible at all times for public inspection ; (7) to report at once to
the Central Midwives Board the death of any midwife or any change in the name or address of any
midwife ; and (8) to give due notice of the effect of the provisions of the Act to all persons using
the title of midwife. In addition to these duties, every local supervising authority is by Section 5
of the Act compelled to pay its proportion of any deficit which may occur in the expenses of the
Central Midwives Board, provided such deficit is approved by the Privy Council.
Supervision
of midwives.
In order to carry out its duties of general supervision, the Council has appointed two women
inspectors, who are duly qualified medical practitioners, to pay visits of inspection to midwives
practising within the county, as well as to make special investigation into any case of puerperal fever
occurring in the practice of a midwife, and to attend if possible any inquest held upon the body of
a woman or infant upon whom a midwife had been in attendance. During the year 1910 there were
90 cases of puerperal fever in the practice of midwives, and 83 inquests were held in which midwives
were concerned, 14 being on the bodies of women, and 69 on the bodies of children.