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36
F.—Means for Preventing Mortality in Childbirth
and Infancy.
The Mid wives Act, 1902, is administered by the Kent
County Council. There are 8 niidwives practising in the
District, and they attend about one-half the number of
confinements that occur.
During the latter part of the year the Council had
under consideration the question of adopting the Notification
of Births Act, 1907, and it was decided to adopt it,
and to appoint a Health Visitor to carry out the work (and
also to act as School Nurse).
The necessary formalities for its adoption were in
progress at the close of the year, and the formal resolution
of the Council was passed at a meeting held in January,
1914, the Act to come into force on April 1st, 1914.
No special measures directed towards the lowering of
the Infantile mortality are in force in the District, but
during the summer frequent inspection of the District is
carried out with the object of' detecting nuisances, and
getting them abated, and of preventing the accumulation
of refuse.
G.—Vital Statistics.
Births.
During the year 1913 there were 758 births registered
in the District, and notification was received that 13
births, occurring elsewhere, were transferable here, making
a total of 771.
This gives a nett birth rate of 25.61 per 1,000 of the
population, as compared with 23.65 during 1912, and 23.9
for England and Wales in 1913.
Of these births 746 were legitimate, made up of 368
males, and 378 females, while 25 were illegitimate, viz.,
11 males, and 14 females.
The birth rate for 1913 is a considerable improvement
on that for 1912, and compares very favourably with
that for England and Wales as a whole.
The natural increase of population, i.e., the excess of
births over deaths, was 475.