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69
Premature weaning and the want of proper attention in the care of the infants seem
to be the main factor in producing the high infantile mortality in the Limehouse
district. Contrast this with the comparatively low infantile mortality in the Whitechapel
district, where the Jewish population is greater relatively than in any other
part of the Borough. The Jewish mother suckles her baby, and if she assists her
husband at all in his employment, it is done by means of home work.
The disease which one would expect to be more directly caused by the improper
feeding of infants than by any other disease is Summer Diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is
less fatal in breast-fed children than in hand-fed children. The death-rate of infants
under one year of age from diarrhoea was three times higher in the Limehouse
district than in the Whitechapel district in the last three years.
Measles is another disease which owes its fatality mainly to neglect. Very
few deaths are due to measles per se. The deaths generally are caused by complications,
such as broncho-pneumonia, due to catching cold while suffering from Measles.
The death-rate from Measles was much higher in the Limehouse district than in the
Whitechapel district during the last three years. The same remark holds good
to a much greater extent with regard to Whooping Cough. These facts are worthy
of consideration, especially when the number of cases of notifiable diseases was
almost as high in the Whitechapel district as in the Limehouse district.
Nine infant consultation centres have recently been started in St. George's and
Wapping under the auspices of the St. George-in-the-East and Wapping Infant
Care Committee. One voluntary and two paid doctors attend at these places to
give advice.
A large number of infants are brought by the mothers to see the doctors. It is
felt, however, that unless the homes are visited the better dressed babies only are
brought to the consultation rooms. A Health Visitor would be of great help in
visiting the homes, and in addition to giving advice to the mothers, induce those
who really need it to seek medical advice.
In connection with this matter, it may be of interest to quote the following
paragraph from the circular letter of the Local Government Board of July 25th,
1913, on infantile mortality. It reminds the Council " of the importance of taking
all practicable measures for the prevention of Epidemic Diarrhoea and other diseases
of infants, and of promoting hygienic conditions in the feeding of infants. In many
districts much useful voluntary work is done in relation to the welfare of mothers,
infants and young children by such institutions, as infant consultations, classes for
mothers, health societies, guilds of help, dinners for pregnant and nursing women,
funds for supplying milk, fresh or dried, for infants and nursing mothers, either
gratuitously or at cost price and by county and district nursing associations. Such
work loses much of its value if it is not properly co-ordinated with the work of the
local sanitary authority, and the Board suggest that the Medical Officer of Health
should endeavour to secure this co-ordination in carrying out his duties."
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