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one admits that wherever young children congregate, Measles is
liable to spread among these children. It is too early to draw
conclusions from our experience in Acton, but as may be seen on a
previous page, the district last spring passed through one of the
most extensive epidemics in its history, and in no instance did the
disease spread amongst the children of the creche.
It was stated in a previous paragraph, that the role of married
female labour (under present social conditions) in the production of
infantile mortality is not very obvious. It was also stated
that possibly the better food, &c., which result, outweigh
the disadvantages. One fact though, should be borne in mind, that
last year in Acton one seventh of the total loss of life in infancy
occurs in the first week of extra-uterine life. This fact tends to
moderate our hope of affecting a large percentage of the total infantile
mortality, unless it be by measures affecting the mother
during pregnacy. It is well known that social conditions play an
important part but the following figures suggest that ignorance of
the duties of motherhood is also an important factor.
Out of 42 deaths from diarrhoeal diseases, 7 of the children
were first-born, out of 46 deaths from diseases other than diarrhoeal
and prematurity, 10 of the children were first-born, but out of 13
deaths from prematurity, 6 of the children were first-born.
As usual the mortality amongst illegitimate children was
excessive, Out of 42 children born out of wedlock, 17 died before
reaching the age of 12 months. These figures represent an infantile
mortality of 404 per 1,000 births. In 1907 the infantile mortality
amongst illegitimate children was 480 per 1,000 births, and in 1906,
564 per 2,000; so that in the last three years nearly one half the
illegitimate children died before reaching the age of 12 months.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS ACT, 1907.
The Council passed a resolution to adopt the above Act on
November 26th, 1907, and application for the sanction of the Local
Government Board was made forthwith.
The resolution of the Council was advertised in the " Acton
Gazette" and "Acton Express" on December 6th, 1907.