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98
One of the chief points to impress upon the mother when visiting is the
great necessity for obtaining the milk for her baby from a reliable source, and
having obtained it, to keep it stored in her home in a cool place and well
covered so that it may not become contaminated by dust, &c.
On visiting it has frequently been observed that the milk for the infant's
use is kept in the living room in an uncovered vessel, open to pollution from
flies or the dusty atmosphere.
Leaflets on the care and feeding of infants have been distributed to the
mothers, but it has been found that these papers, being small, frequently get
mislaid or destroyed in the home. It is therefore being arranged to have the
advice to mothers printed on large cards which can be hung upon the wall,
and to distribute these during the coming year instead of the leaflets. A
number of these cards are to be printed in the Yiddish language, as there are
many mothers in the City who cannot read or speak English.
Much more satisfactory results might be obtained in the work if a system
of earlier registration was in force. According to the Registration Act, 1874,
births must be registered within 42 days of their occurrence. The majority
of births are not registered until the child is from one to two months old.
Several cases have occurred where the death of the child takes place before the
notification of the birth has been received. In view of the importance of the
matter, the Sanitary Committee in March, 1906, on the suggestion of your
Medical Officer of Health, addressed a letter to the Local Government Board,
pointing out the desirability of the Board promoting legislation for reducing
the time allowance for registration of birth in England and Wales from forty.
two to twenty days, as obtains in Scotland.
The number of deaths under 12 months during the year was 30. (For
details, see Table on p. 15.)
On receiving the notification of an infant's death, the home is visited and
enquiries made as regards the cause of death, the feeding of the child at the
time it was taken ill, and the sanitary condition of the premises.
The following particulars were obtained as regards the feeding of the
infant. At the time of being taken ill—
9 were breast.fed entirely.
12 were having cow's milk.
1 was partially breast.fed, also having condensed milk.
1 was fed on humanised milk.