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54
To take the average gain conceals the progress of individual
children ; but of those admitted between 12-18 months, three lost
weight in the first three months, nine gained 0-8 oz., and an additional
nine gained less than 1 lb. This was out of a total of 58 children.
Thus over one third made unsatisfactory progress in the first three
months. In the second three months two children lost weight,
five gained 0-8 oz., and four gained less than 1 lb. The total
number of children here was 44, so one quarter made unsatisfactory
progress in the second three months.
Of 42 children admitted between 18 months and 2 years, seven
lost weight, three gained 0-8 oz., and five gained less than 1 lb.
in their first three months in the nursery—again one third whose
gain was unsatisfactory. In the second three months two children
lost weight, six gained 0-8 oz., and three gained less than 1 lb., out
of 30 children.
As children in nurseries are in a very favoured position as
regards rations compared with children whose mothers are looking
after them at home, I can only regard the progress of these groups
of children admitted under two years as disappointing. It is
reasonable to suppose that illnesses accounted for the poor gains to
some extent, but this cannot be the complete explanation, as some
children had as many as four infections, and did satisfactorily ;
whereas others had no illness and yet did badly.
The number of children admitted under two years who developed
infections in the nurseries is high. At Ellingham Road 35
children out of 60 who remained over three months in the nursery
had one or more infections, and at Knotts Green 54 children out of
72. The commonest infections were of the catarrhal type— measles,
whooping cough, german measles and pneumonia, but scarlet fever,
mumps, dysentery, jaundice and chicken pox all occurred. I
included acute bronchitis only if it resulted in several weeks absence
from the nursery. Some children had as many as four infectious
diseases, and of 60 children (including the admissions under 12
months) who remained twelve months or over, only seven escaped
infection.
It has been suggested that places might be kept in the nurseries
for the children of mothers who are ill or who are pregnant. So far
we have usually found that if a mother is ill, she does not send her