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17
Births Investigations.—The greater part of the first visits it will be noted
were paid to mothers when the babies were aged less than one month old, this
being the time when advice as to feeding, etc., is most urgently needed. With
regard to the feeding it is satisfactory to note that in a large proportion of the
cases only breast milk was given, even amongst children aged 2-3 months, a
period at which it is not at all unusual to find that recourse, for one reason or
another, is had by mothers to artificial foods. The fact mentioned in the Annual
Report for 1909 that the number of mothers going out to work is comparatively
small is well brought out.
The columns headed "Condition of Tenement" are interesting, and it is
encouraging to find that the numbers which had to be classed as dirty are so low.
Infant Deaths.—The women inspectors, in addition to visiting homes in
which there are babies, visit also those in which a death of an infant under one
year has been registered as having occurred. These visits are paid as soon as
possible after information as to the death has been received.
Special enquiries are made as to the method of feeding, health of the
mother, etc. The information obtained in the 84 cases enquired into is given in
the accompanying tables. Table VI. relates chiefly to feeding, while Table VII.
gives the age at death and particulars of feeding, etc., in relation to the cause
of death.