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(5) To promote and encourage the practice of weighing infants regularly, and
to instruct in, or remind mothers of, the simpler rules of hygiene in relation
to the home and its inmates, and otherwise to assist in preventing the
spread of such diseases as Measles, Whooping Cough, &c.
It is curious what an objection some women have to weigh their babies. It
is often their firm belief that if the baby is weighed, he will die before he is a year
old.
(6) To promote a knowledge of the value of fresh air, of keeping windows open
at night, of cleanliness in the home, &c.
(7) To note and report any insanitary or foul conditions in any of the homes
visited.
Remediable defects were found in 51 houses and were reported to the Sanitary
Inspector besides a number of cases of overcrowding.
(8) To visit and report on all cases in the Borough communicated by the
Almoners of the London Hospital.
(9) To keep a systematic record of all cases.
Frequently during the course of her visits, the Health Visitor is asked to call
and see women who are about to be confined. If the child is to survive and to be
healthy, it goes without saying that the expectant mother should be in a healthy
state. Many poor women are ill-fed or underfed, owing to no fault of theirs or their
husbands. No one will deny that these women are just as much in need of free meals
as ill-fed children attending elementary schools.
The Stepney Invalid Kitchen has recently been established and supplies dinners
to women after the child is born for one penny each on the recommendation of the
Health Visitor. The diet for the invalid dinners is as follows
(a) Beef tea, mutton or chicken broth.
(b) Milk pudding or custard.
(c) Boiled fish with sauce and potatoes.
(d) Chicken with two vegetables.
(e) Mutton or tripe, with Yorkshire pudding and two vegetables.
The Health Visitor has found this institution of great benefit to poor women,
but it is a pity that its benefits cannot be extended to those who are expecting to
become mothers, and not only to those who have recently been confined.