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8. That the Conference re-affirm the resolution of the
former Conference, that the Midwives Act, 1902, be
extended to Scotland and Ireland.
9. That the Conference continue as a Committee to give
effect to the foregoing Resolutions, with power to remit
to an Executive Committee to carry out the same.
A Sub-Committee of the Public Health Committee considered
the advisability or otherwise of the adoption of the Notification of
Births Act, but, in view of the expense attaching to the extra staff
that would be required for the efficient working of the Act, and
our comparatively satisfactory infantile mortality rate, they
decided to recommend to the Parent Committee the non-adoption
of the Act, in which recommendation the latter Committee
acquiesced.
It will be seen by consulting the schedule of deaths that of
those under one year of age, the total of which is 242, no less
than 53 are due to premature births, while another 61 are due
to developmental diseases. This means that half the total number
of the deaths are due to ante natal causes, and not to improper
feeding and ignorant mismanagement of the new-born infant.
Although I do not in any way wish to minimise the benefits
that are likely to accrue from the Notification of Births Act, yet
1 would point out that it is not fair to assume that any diminished
infantile mortality rate which has been observed synchronously
with the adoption of the Act, is necessarily due to it, for the