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21
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS ACT, 1907.
The work under the notification of Births Act has been continued. During the
year 149 births were notified belonging to the City, including two still-births.
255 other notifications, not belonging to the City, were received and were forwarded
to the Medical Officers of the respective districts.
Of the 149 City Births notified under the Act:—
90 were notified by Medical Practitioners.
25 ,, ,, by Hospital Authorities, &c.
15 „ „ by Midwives.
19 „ „ by Parents.
Daring the year, 328 visits were paid to the homes to give instruction in the care
and feeding of infants. The visits are looked forward to and much appreciated by
the mothers. Of the babies visited :—
84 per cent. were breast-fed.
10 ,, were hand-fed.
6 „ were partly hand-fed and partly breast-fed.
To all necessitous nursing mothers the grant of 1½ pints of milk daily has been
allowed for periods varying from one month to six months, and in three exceptional
cases the grant was continued for nine months.
During the year, thirty mothers were allowed the grant of milk, twenty-six of these
mothers Were asked to attend the "Shelter" (a building in Golden Lane belonging to
the Corporation) each Monday afternoon in order that their babies might be weighed
In all cases improvement was noted. The City mothers take an intelligent interest in
the health of their children and appreciate and value all that is done.
Many poor mothers find it very difficult to provide warm clothing for their infants,
and some actually find it impossible, although the amount required to purchase
suitable articles is small.
Several necessitous families have been recommended for help from the poor box,
and grateful thanks are due to Mr. Savill, Clerk to the Sitting Justices, and Mr. Douglas,
Clerk to the Lord Mayor, for their kindness in making grants in cases brought to their
notice..
Deaths in City Institutions.
During 1913, 82 citizens died in City Workhouses, Workhouse Infirmaries or
Lunatic Asylums, or no less than 31.7 per cent. of the whole City mortality, the
corresponding figure for the Metropolis being 43.1 per cent.
Percentage of Deaths occurring in Workhouses, Workhouse Infirmaries and Lunatic
Asylums to total Deaths in the City of London and the Metropolis respectively, for
1913, compared with the previous five years:—
Year. City of London. Metropolis.
Per cent. Per cent.
1908 23-0 25-8
1909 38-0 42-0
1910 34-6 43-3
1911 39-4 41-2
.1912 26-9 43-3
Average of previous five years... 32-4 39-1
1913 31-7 43-1