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their care, and they are regarded with the greatest amount of favour by those
who take advantage of them. The number seen at Bell Street was 186 and at
Welbeck Street 148, the average weekly attendance being at the former 25 and
at the latter 24.
Home Office Enquiry.— In connection with the subject of Infantile Mortality,
some reference may be made to an investigation carried out at the request of
the Secretary of State, into the relation between maternal employment and deaths
of infants under one year of age.
The observations were carried out in connection with children born in the
year 1908, and as each child was to be visited and reports made as to its feeding
and progress during the first year of its life, the work was not completed till the
end of 1909.
In all, 260 infants were observed by the women inspectors. Of the cases,
58 were born in All Souls District, 53 in St. Mary's, 108 in Christ Church, and
41 in St. John's. Some of the facts elicited are of considerable interest, though
it is doubtful if conclusions of any value can be drawn from the figures of
this district alone. All the returns are to be analysed at the Home Office, and
with the mass of information collected all over the country at his disposal, the
Home Secretary doubtless will be able to draw valid conclusions and possibly
determine as to what action it is necessary to take.
As a matter of fact the proportion of employed mothers in the cases selected
for investigation here is comparatively small—86 out of the 260, about 32 per
cent. Of the 86, only 11 were employed in factories or workshops, one half of
the remainder working at home, and the other at such occupations as office
cleaning, etc. Of the 260 children born, 15 failed to live out the year, and two
of these were children of women working at home, 1 of a woman employed in a
workshop, 5 of mothers engaged in office cleaning, etc., and 7 of women only
engaged in house work. In other words, 1 out of 11 born to factory workers : 5
out of 37 born to charwomen, etc., and 7 out of 174 to housewives, died within
one year.
The proportion of deaths amongst the babies whose mothers work away
from home is, therefore, much higher than in the other cases.
Some interesting facts regarding the occupations were brought to light.
The chief reason for taking up work was to supplement a small income, and the
average weekly earnings varied tremendously both before and after confinement.
The lowest was 1s. to 2s. per week; the highest 12s. to 18s. Total family
ncomes of 10s. per week were recorded in several cases.