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24
Forrester commenced her duties on October 1st, 1903. As may be imagined,
the work of the Health Visitor at the beginning was " uphill," suspicion of her
motive being one of the principal obstacles. Her visits, however, were as a
whole, well received, and in most cases appreciated. She visited and re-visited
the homes of 721 infants, 74 of whom died under the age of one year. The
rate of infant mortality among infants she visited, was therefore 102 per 1,000
births. This is very satisfactory when it is considered that this area was
selected on account of its high infantile mortality, and that the infant mortality
for the whole of the Limehouse District in that period was 185 per
1,000 births.
A large majority of these infants were suckled by the mother, only a few
comparatively being fed entirely by artificial means. On the other hand,
it is very difficult to find out, from the parents, to what extent breast feeding
was supplemented by oatmeal, biscuits, soaked bread, or "just a little of what
we have ourselves." As the result of continuous teaching by the Health
Visitor, there is undoubtedly less ignorance on that point, and more knowledge
of the value of milk as an article of diet for the infant. Most of the mothers
believe that whenever the babies cry, they must be fed. It is most difficult to
make them comprehend that babies cry from other causes than that of hunger.
The wasting diseases that are so common among babies in the East End, as
well as elsewhere, are often due to the overloading of the stomachs with
unsuitable food.
The Health Visitor always pointed out the disadvantages of the bottle
with the long tube. Though they were not quite extinct at the end of her
two years' labours, they were far less in evidence.
The "dummy" seems to be considered the panacea for all the trials and
discomforts of infant life. It does not matter how dirty the wretched thing
is, as soon as the child cries and the feeding bottle is not convenient, the
"dummy" is used. The Visitor spoke to the mothers, and advised them to
do away with the "dummy," and try to reason as to the cause of the child's
crying. The "dummy "could not possibly do away. with the cause of the
trouble.
Overlaying is a frequent cause of death of infants in our Borough. The
parents were always advised to have a separate sleeping accommodation for
the infants, even if it only consisted of a comfortably constituted box. The
Health Visitor was only able to persuade the parents to adopt this course in
five cases.