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61
Some of the mothers are diffident of making a first visit,
but readily come afterwards. The object of the consultation was
evidently misunderstood, but after the first visit, they came with
alacrity and often at a considerable sacrifice. Where the attendances
have been irregular, it is found that the difficulties are
almost insurmountable. Some of the mothers are at work—the
husbands being out of employment or only irregularly employed—
and although the majority of them are employed in laundries and
do not commence work in the laundry until Tuesday, on Monday
they do their own laundry work at home. In spite of these
difficulties a large number manage to find time, so great is
their interest in the progress of the baby. They are all keen and
anxious to learn, and they undoubtedly do learn a great deal from
the simple association with each other, but they ask questions
of the Health Visitor and of each other on all matters pertaining
to the home and the baby. There is a great need for an
educational campaign amongst the mothers, especially as to the
nutritive value of the various foods. W'!ant of thrift plays an
important part in the poverty of many households; what is meant,
of course, by want of thrift here, is an inability to adapt the
means at their disposal to the best advantage.
The frequent visits of the mothers enable us to touch on
many matters which could not possibly be mentioned in one or
two visits to the house. These visits to the Priory School also
enable us to give better advice as to the clothing. At the commencement
of the winter it was not uncommon for the infants to
be brought to the Friory School with their lower limbs blue with
cold. For the first couple of months the child is swathed in long
clothes and can hardly move a muscle. Then comes the process
of " short-coating," when the other extreme is reached, and the
legs have hardly any covering at all. When the attention of the
mothers was called to the condition, a great improvement was
observed, and not the least gratifying result during the past
winter has been the intelligent and increased care paid to the
clothing of the infant.