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The infantile mortalities for the eight wards of the Borough are contained in
Table VII. (Appendix). The mortality was lowest in Moorfields, where it amounted
to 115 per 1,000 births, and highest in Whitmore, where the mortality was 174
per 1,000 births. In connection with this it is to be noted that Moorfields Ward
is the least densely populated locality in the Borough. The density in this ward,
however, is about 25 per cent, higher than that of the Metropolis as a whole.
In Whitmore Ward the density of the population is three times as great as in
Moorfields Ward and about four times as great as that of London.
Whilst upon the subject of the infantile mortality of the Borough, attention may
be directed to the Notification of Births Act, 1907, a piece of legislation which
can hardly be stated to have been received with general enthusiasm, although the
reason for its enactment is one which must commend itself to all right-thinking
persons.
The object of this Act is to afford local authorities a means, if they choose to
take advantage of it, for obtaining early information of births with a view to advice
and instruction as to the rearing of infants being given where deemed necessary to
mothers and other persons having charge of infants, and it is hoped that such
advice and instruction will result in a saving of infant life and so lead to a decrease
in the infantile mortality.
The Act is an adoptive one, and the expense of carrying it out would be
defrayed as part of the expenses of the Council in the execution of the Acts relating
to public health.
Upon the question of the adoption of the Act it may be remarked that the
Local Government Board, in their circular letter of September 27th last, bringing
under the notice of the Councils of the Metropolitan Boroughs the provisions of
this Act, observe " that in their opinion there is no occasion for imposing upon
parents and others the obligation of notifying births unless steps are taken to carry
out the ultimate object of the measure, viz., the giving of advice and instruction
to those who have charge of the infants, and in ordinary circumstances they would
not be prepared to consent to the adoption of the Act unless it appeared that
arrangements had been made for this purpose." The Board are of opinion that
local agencies under the Medical Officer of Health would usually be best for
carrying out these arrangements, and they express the hope that the Council will
consider the question of adopting the Act and of co-operating with any agency
that may exist so as to make the Act successful.
The question of the adoption of the Act was referred to me to report on,
and I pointed out that in the event of the Borough Council resolving to adopt the
Act in Shoreditch, it would be necessary to arrange and, provide for giving the
advice and instruction to mothers above referred to. Such work being beyond the
scope of the duties of a sanitary inspector, the way to secure it being done in the