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great success, but once our Mothers grasp the real value of breast
feeding, and, in its absence, that of clean Milk—natural or dried—
cleanliness in the home and the paramount importance of fresh air
and sunlight, Child Welfare Centres will disappear and the money
now spent will be more usefully diverted to the teaching of our
senior girls these essential truths for their future guidance.
Infant deaths, apart from intelligence and knowledge on the part
of the Mothers, largely depend on the economic conditions of the
home.
The children born in the Hale End Ward have a greater chance
of survival than those in the other Wards, and the Mortality of
unwanted children is no less than before the advent of Child Welfare
Centres ; their chances of surviving to the second year of life are
less than half those born in wedlock, and the comparative mortality
figures of both are 139-5 and 62-7 for the Whole Area.
Scarlet Fever.—This disease was much less prevalent than in
1923—the notified cases were 185 compared with 351—and only
one death was recorded.
This happy result could hardly be anticipated in view of the
existing housing conditions.
The serious view taken, by most parents, of the disease, the
intelligent supervision of our children by their Teachers and by way
of the School Clinics, and the removal to Hospital of nearly 80 per
cent, of the sufferers, may account largely for this.
The type of disease as met with during the year was milder than
usual and contacts seemed less vulnerable than heretofore.
This may be due to two causes. Children now, although their
parents are out of work, are well fed, and as the result of medical
inspection, unhealthy conditions of throat and nose are remedied
and in consequence the children have greater resisting power.
Diphtheria.—Of the 257 cases notified 120 of them were discovered
by the Medical Officer of Health or the doctors on his Staff.
Two hundred and twenty-eight, or over 88 per cent, of the total,
were treated in Hospital.
There were 4 deaths, or a case mortality of 1-5 per 100. Although
our Mortality for the disease was only half that of the Country as a
whole, it might have been less.
Mistakes were made' in many cases ; the parents assuming that
the patients were suffering from headache or cold, or both, failed
to have medical advice until the period had passed when modern
treatment could have prevented a fatal issue.