View report page

30
These figures do not, however, tell the whole story, as 185 foster children
were added to the register and 186 foster children were removed during the year.
The following Table shows the ages of the children under supervision on the 31st
December, 1935:—

The number of visits paid by the Infant Life Protection Visitors was 1,086.
The number of visits made by the male inspector, in connection with infringements
and kindred matters was 78, while the number of visits paid by the district sanitary
inspectors was 61. The number of, and nature of the various legal infringements
discovered during the year were as follows:—

Cautionary letters were sent in 19 cases. There were no prosecutions. In
7 instances insanitary conditions were discovered; in 4 instances there was overcrowding,
and in 5 instances verminous conditions existed. In all cases appropriate
action was taken to secure the abatement of the nuisances. Nurse infants
who are kept under unsatisfactory conditions may be removed to a place of safety,
but it was not necessary to remove any such during the year.
All foster mothers are urged to attend the Council's welfare centres with the
children under five years of age in their charge, and it is pleasing to record, that,
with very few exceptions, these children now regularly attend an infant welfare
centre. Special care is taken to see that children who are weak and ailing attend
the centres. During the year five nurse infants died—two from pneumonia, one
from enteritis, one from marasmus, and one from osteomyelitis.
The only institution in the Borough holding a certificate of exemption is the
Woolwich War Memorial Hospital.