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preliminary to effective touch between public and voluntary work in the campaign against venereal
disease. The setting up of a committee capable of organising such work in London would afford the
opportunity for effective co-operation of public authorities and voluntary agencies, and for interchange
of information in matters of mutual concern. The Council, therefore, on 14th June, 1921, expressed
itself in favour of the suggestion that a central joint committee should be formed representing public
authorities and voluntary agencies concerned in rescue and preventive work in London.
Prophylaxis.
The Government have had under consideration the policy hitherto adopted in this country for
dealing with venereal diseases, and the question whether any modification of that policy is required. It
was pointed out that the national scheme is based upon the recommendations of the Royal Commission
on Venereal Diseases. The question referred to was also considered by the Inter-Departmental Committee
on Infectious Diseases in connection with Demobilisation, and, more recently, by a Special Committee of
the National Birth-rate Commission. On the question of self-disinfection—-on which the views of these
two committees (official and unofficial) were not completely in accord—the Government decided that they
could not give official support to self-disinfection as a policy. In communicating this decision the
Ministry of Health (Circular No. 202, 31st May, 1921), emphasised the importance of continuing and
extending public instruction and enlightenment as to the disastrous consequences of venereal diseases,
and urged local authorities not to curtail their expenditure on educational and nronaaranda work.
Infant life
protection.
Part I. of the Children Act, 1908, provides that a person who undertakes for hire or reward the
nursing and maintenance of an infant under the age of seven years apart from its parents shall, within
48 hours, give notice of such reception to the local authority, in London, the Council, and empowers
such local authority to fix the number of infants which may be kept in any dwelling. If an infant dies
the foster-mother must notify the coroner within 24 hours, and the Council within 48 hours. During
1921, 2,337 foster-mothers and 2,801 nurse-infants were notified.* Power is given to remove to a place
of safety, i.e., a workhouse, an infant in the charge of a foster-mother who is unfit to have the care of it
owing to negligence, ignorance, inebriety, immorality, criminal conduct or other similar cause. Similar
action may be taken where the premises are overcrowded, dangerous or insanitary, or if the infant is
being kept by a person or in any premises in contravention of the Act. The Act also empowers a local
authority to exempt either partially or wholly premises which are so conducted as to render ordinary
inspection unnecessary. Some particulars of the Council's work are as follows:—
Year.
Infants
removed from
foster mothers.
Exemptions.
Deaths.
Infringements
discovered.
Cautions.
Prosecutions.
Convictions.
1919 33 11 51 432 416 16 16
1920 14 7 26 318 302 16 16
1921 20 3 42 302 285 26 26
On 1st March, 1921, the Council authorised officers of the Greenwich Metropolitan Borough
Council to act as infant life protection visitors under the Act for a period of one year extending to 30th
June, 1922. The authority is subject to agreed terms and conditions and to review at the end of the
period.
The Council on 18th May, 1920, expressed the opinion that Part I. of the Children Act, 1908,
required amendment; and with that object made several proposalst to the Minister of Health, but
during 1921 no definite action was taken bv him thereon.
Inspection of
homes.
Towards the end or 1919, the London War Pensions Committee asked the Council to arrange
for the inspection of homes in which the Committee proposed to place neglected children of deceased
or serving soldiers and sailors, and the Council agreed, as a temporary arrangement, to carry out the work
as part of the routine inspection undertaken by its visitors under the Children Act. In 1921 local war
pensions committees were formed in the various metropolitan boroughs to carry on the work of the
London War Pensions Committee and the Council agreed to continue the arrangement temporarily.
Lying-in
homes.
The London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1921, came into operation on 28th July,
1921. Part IV. (Lying-in homes) repealed Part IV. (Lying-in homes) of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1915, but provided that any registration under that Act should be of the same
validity and effect as if effected under the later Act. The Act prohibits any person from carrying on a
lying-in home unless such person and the premises used are registered with the Council. In addition to
specifying the particulars which must be submitted, the Act empowers the Council to refuse to register
or to cancel registration if the (i.) person is under the age of 21, (ii.) person is unsuitable, (iii.) premises
or their equipment are unsuitable, (iv.) premises are used or intended to be used for the accommodation
at any one time of an excessive number of patients, and (v.) premises or any other premises used for
any purpose in connection with such first-mentioned premises or with any business or occupation
carried on therein are being used for any immoral purpose. The Council is authorised to make by-laws
prescribing the records to be kept of the patients received and the business carried on and requiring the
notification of any deaths, and is empowered to inspect any premises used or believed to be used as a
lying-in home and the entries in any records kept in connection therewith. Recognised hospitals and
similar establishments, homes approved for the training of midwives. and lying-in homes in which
relatives alone are received are exempt from the Act. Homes carried on by duly registered medical
practitioners are also exempt provided that the necessary approved certificate is submitted to the
Council annually.
At the beginning of 1921, 258 premises were on the register, 53 were added during the year, one
registration was cancelled, and 32 entries were removed (owing to discontinuance of user, removal, etc.),
leaving a net total of 278 on the register at the end of the year. Nine premises carried on by registered
* Figures for 1915-20 are given in Annual Report of the Council, 1920, vol. III., p. 112.
† See Annual Report of the Council, 1920. Vol. III. p. 113.