View report page

238
(b) The Infant.—During the year 1909, 133 children
died under four weeks; in 1910, 129 children died under four
weeks; in 1911, 140 children died under four weeks; in 1912,
133 died under four weeks; and in 1913, 128 died under
four weeks; that is, 132 children on an average died each
year during the past five years, 1909-13, before reaching the
age of four weeks. The principal causes of these deaths are
premature birth and wasting, for both of which conditions
hospital treatment is required in certain cases, and provision
should accordingly be made. Having regard to the fact
that 38 per cent. of such births are attended by midwives,
and that for a certain proportion of these cases hospital
treatment would be unavailing, I think the present necessity
of the case would be met by providing for the hospital treatment
of twenty per cent, of all cases dying within four
weeks, i.e., for twenty-six cases.
(2) The Provision of Systematic Advice and Treatment for
Infants at a Baby Clinic or Infant Dispensary.
It has already been stated that 1,852 deaths of infants
under one year of age occurred in Willesden during the five
year period 1909-13, or on an average, 370 per annum.
The number of cases of sickness bringing about these
deaths would probably be at least five times the number of
deaths, that is, 1,850 per annum. If we assume that 38 per
cent. of these cases would utilise a baby clinic, or infant
dispensary, it follows that 703 cases would be in attendance
per annum. Each case would be ill for a period of four
weeks on the average, and would make on the average two
attendances per week, that is to say, 5,624 attendances
would be made by these ill babies per annum. Each examination
at the baby clinic would take, on the average ten
minutes, and consequently 937 hours of a doctor's time
would be taken up in respect of the work of examining,
advising and prescribing for unwell babies.