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32
Notification of Births Acts, 1907-15.—Every birth occurring in the Borough
requires to be notified to the Medical Officer of Health within thirty-six hours of
birth. As a matter of fact, only a very small percentage of births are so notified.
As soon as a notification is received pamphlets dealing with the care and comfort
of mothers and infants are sent by post to every mother. Subsequently, between
the tenth and fourteenth day, a visit is paid to the home by the health visitor who
decides on her first visit the necessity for subsequent visits. It may be stated,
however, that, broadly, the general basis of visiting is as follows:—three visits during
the first year and one visit in each subsequent year up to the age of five years, or
until the child goes to school.
The Work of the Health Visitors.—The work performed by these officers
during the year, with regard to maternity and child welfare, is summarised in the
following Table:—