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46
Blind
Persons
Act, 1920,
The Council's scheme for the carrying out of the provisions of the Blind Persons
Act, 1920, provides, inter alia, for the examination of persons by the Council's
medical officer. Most of the examinations related to children of school age and
information in regard thereto is given on a later page; seven persons not of school
age were also examined, and of these six (4 males and 2 females) were found to he
capable of benefiting by training, and advice was given as to trades in which the
persons should severally be trained, having regard to the prospects of future employment;
one male was considered to be unfit for training.
Children
Act, 1908.
The Council's powers, etc., under the Children Act, 1918, with regard to infant
life protection were described in the Annual Report for 1921 (vol. III., p. 64).
Inspection under Part I. of the Act is carried out by 14 female visitors and two
male inspectors. There is power to remove nurse infants who are being kept under
certain unsatisfactory conditions, or by foster mothers who are for certain reasons
found to be unsuitable, to a place of safety, i.e., in London to poor law institutions.
During 1922 14 infants were removed as compared with 20 for the previous year.
Total exemption from inspection was granted in one case, and inspection limited
to once or twice a year in two other cases. "With a view to ascertaining that the
sanitary condition of the home of a foster mother is satisfactory all new premises,
or premises to which a foster mother has removed after registration, are inspected
by the Council. Also, if doubt arises subsequently, as to the suitability of any
premises, or complaint is made as to any serious defects or nuisance, similar action
is taken. During 1922, 971 reports, as compared with 1,006 during 1921, were
made. In 668 cases the premises were found to be satisfactory, the same number
of cases as in the previous year. In 141 homes sanitary defects were discovered as
compared with 146, while overcrowding was reported in 92 as compared with 131
in the year 1921. In 9 homes overcrowding and sanitary defects were found to
exist as compared with 29 homes in the previous year. No action could be taken
in the remaining 61 homes owing to the removal of the infant prior to the inspector's
visit.
The attention of the borough council was drawn to any case of serious sanitary
defect. In some cases it has been found possible by re-arrangement of accommodation
to secure an improvement where overcrowding existed. In others this has not
been found possible, and the foster mothers concerned are in such cases instructed
either to obtain more suitable premises or return the nurse infant to its parent. The
enforcement of the requirements is rendered more difficult at the present time owing
to the lack of housing accommodation.
In the case of an illness of a nurse infant the help of the local infant welfare centre
is frequently obtained. Where a foster mother has charge of a weak or ailing infant
she is urged to take the infant to the local centre and to follow the advice of the
doctor there. Such cases are watched by the visitors with a view to seeing that
the treatment advised is carried out. From time to time the visitors report cases
in which they are doubtful as to the condition of the infant, and an inspection of
the infant is then made by one of the Council's medical officers. The visitors are
of opinion that this is of great assistance to them in their work. The period during
which an infant remains under the Act is limited to the age of seven years, but as the
child generally goes to school at the age of five years it has the additional advantage
from that age of supervision by the School medical service. During 1922 the number
of deaths of nurse infants reached 53, as compared with 42 in 1921, and inquests
were necessary in nine cases as compared with six in the previous year. In eight
of these the verdict was death from natural causes, and in the other accidental
death by suffocation.
In the Annual Report for 1921 (vol. III., p. 22), reference was made to the
fact that a departmental committee had been appointed by the Home Secretary
to deal with the question of child adoption. During 1922 a Bill was brought before
the House of Commons with the object of enabling the parents or guardian of any