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128
Infant Life Protection.—The Council are responsible for Infant Life Protection
work and all the Health Visitors have been appointed Infant Life Protection Visitors
for their particular districts. When evasion of the law is suspected any necessary
investigations are made by one of the male sanitary inspectors. The homes of all
new foster mothers are inspected by the district sanitary inspectors, who furnish
in each case a sanitary report.
At the end of 1937 there were 70 nurse children and 54 foster mothers on the
Council's register, and a year later the numbers were 67 and 53. It is the custom
to report on all homes where women indicate their desire to become foster mothers
and, in addition to the number of foster mothers shown above, another 9 were either
temporarily without nurse children or had been noted as suitable persons. These
figures do not, however, tell the whole story, as 148 nurse children were added to
the register, • and 151 nurse children were removed during the year. The following
Table No. 73 shows the ages of the children under supervision on the 31st December,
1938:—

The number of visits paid by Infant Life Protection Visitors was 733. The
number of visits made by the male inspector in connection with infringements and
kindred matters was 35, while the number of visits paid by the district sanitary
inspectors was 21. The number, and nature, of the various legal infringements
discovered during the year, were as follows:—

Cautionary letters either from the Medical Officer of Health or from the Town
Clerk were sent in all cases. There were no prosecutions.
In three instances dirty and overcrowded conditions were discovered. In
all appropriate action was taken. Nurse children who are kept under unsatisfactory
conditions may be removed to a place of safety, but it was not necessary to take this
action during the year.