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17
Army allowance. It must also be remembered that no attempt
has been made to seek into any other source of financial help
that may be available to the mother.
Table III is a tabulation of the percentage of 450 expectant
mothers paying certain scales of rent.
Table IV is an attempt to correlate Tables II and III, giving
the number of children already in the family, and the amount
of rent payed out of salary received. No attempt has been made
to investigate other essential expenditure, such as fares to end
from work. The table shows that no less than 35 per cent, of
mothers are paying more than 25 per cent, of income on rent,
and this excludes cases paying board and lodging.
The tables, taken on their face value, indicate a grave state
of affairs; the balance of income left for food would appear to
be reduced below the maintenance level. These are conditions
that must place upon administrators a serious problem, and such
cases must receive priority of attention in any post-war reconstruction.
To neglect them or to be complacent about .their
correction would merely torpedo any attempt to improve the
health of the people by means of improved medical services.

Table II. Weekly Income (450 applications for Municipal
Midwifery Service).
13 per cent, receiving £2 or less.
23 ,, ,, ,, £2 to £3 10s.
43 ,, „ „ over £3 10s.
21 ,, „ unspecified (no details of income submitted)
Table III. Weekly Rent (450 applications for Municipal
Midwifery Service).
24 per cent, paying rent 15/- or under.
23 ,, ,, ,, ,, 15/- to £1.
32 ,, ,, ,, ,, over £1.
21 ,, ,, unspecified.