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residing in the house where the birth takes place at the time
of its occurrence, and any person in attendance upon the
mother at the time of, or within six hours after the birth, are
responsible for the notification being sent. The Act is
adoptive by any District Council, but the adoption can only
become effective with the sanction of the Local Government
Board.
This Act in no way supersedes the Registration of Births
and Deaths Act, 1874, which requires information concerning
the birth of every child born alive to be given to the Registrar
within forty-two days next after the birth.
The Act of 1907 is intended to assist local authorities in
their endeavours to reduce the rate of infantile mortality.
It has been found that the advice of properly trained health
visitors is of much assistance to mothers in the poor districts
of some of the large towns ; but in many cases news of a birth
only reaches the Health Department through the Registrar's
returns, hence there may be a delay of two months, and in
many instances the birth of the infant is not registered until
after its death.
Although the rate of infantile mortality in Finchley is
comparatively low, many of the deaths are due to preventable
causes, and I had consequently no hesitation in recommending
the adoption of the Act in this District, and also the appointment
of a lady to act jointly as health visitor and school
nurse. The proposed duties of the lady were very fully discussed
at an unofficial meeting held at the Council Offices in
November lpst, to which all the doctors residing in the District
we re invited, and I gladly acknowledge the assistance given me
not only by the doctors who were present but also by several
who were unable to attend the meeting.
The Council has since agreed to adopt the Act, and the
Local Government Board has given consent for the resolution
of adoption to take effect at an early date (April 1908).