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The following is a tabulated statement of the work carried out by your Health Visitor
in the above connection:—
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE, 1933.
Birth Notifications received 67.
Infant Welfare Centre. 50 Sessions:—
Under 1 year 993 Total 1,800
Over 1 year 807 attendances.
Mothers attended during year 157
„ left City „ „ 14
No. Children becoming over 5 during year 32
Total visits 1,138:—
Under 1 year 393
Over 1 to 5 years 640
Ante-Natal 94
Ophthalmia 2
Deaths under 1 year 3
Still Births 5
Infant Life Protection 1
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
The enquiries into maternal deaths, which the Ministry of Health has required to be
conducted, has not called for any particular organisation in my Department. With a small
City resident population, few deaths in this category are reported. Where such cases do
occur, investigations are conducted by me. One case was reported during 1933.
It may be of interest to note that, from 1900 to 1933 inclusive, only 16 maternal deaths
have occurred amongst City residents.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS ACT, 1932.
Section 65 of the above-mentioned Act makes it obligatory upon any person residing
in the City, undertaking for reward the nursing and maintenance of an infant under the
age of 9 years, apart from its parents, to give notice to the Corporation—
(a) In the case of an infant not already in his care, being the first infant proposed to
be received for reward, not less than seven days before he receives the infant.
(b) In the case of any other infant not already in his care, not less than 48 hours
before he receives the infant.
(c) In the case of an infant already in his care without reward, within 48 hours after
entering into the undertaking for reward.
The Corporation are empowered by Section 66 to fix the number of infants under the
age of 9 years who may be kept in any dwelling in which there is an infant in respect of whom
notice is required, and to impose conditions where the number may be exceeded.
Power is given for removal of infants kept in unsuitable premises or by unsuitable persons.
The foregoing are amendments and extensions of obligations empowered by the Children
Act, 1908.
The number of cases in which the legislation applies in the City is very small, but in
view of the fact that important alterations were made in the responsibilities of foster-parents,
appropriate advertisements were made in the form attached to the Schedule in the Memorandum
on the subject issued by the Ministry of Health.
Your Tuberculosis Sister and Health Visitor, Miss S. A. Backhouse, was appointed
Protection Visitor under Part 2 (2) of the Children Act, 1908.
WELFARE OF THE BLIND.
Paragraph 3 of the Memorandum 162 B.D., issued by the Ministry of Health, suggests
that blind children under school age have escaped inclusion on the Register of the Blind
because of confusion as to which department of the local authority is responsible for their
welfare. Co-operation between the Blind Persons Act Committee and the Infant Welfare
Act Committee is deemed to be of importance in this connection, and this co-operation has
now been established in the City.