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22
Infant Welfare.
It was decided that the report be forwarded to the Local
Government Board, urging that the Board should make such
arrangements as will enable the people to purchase sugar, according
to the number in family, through some other agency than the
grocers, who have in many instances undoubtedly taken advantage
of the situation.
HEALTH VISITOR'S REPORT.
During 1916 there were 570 births in the district, of which
542 were notified by doctors or midwives. Nine were still-born.
270 infants were visited by the Health Visitor in their
homes, and advice given on the care and feeding of children, a
printed leaflet being left for the mother to read.
1761 visits were made to the infants at the homes during
the year. The babies born in the two previous years are still
visited at intervals, and advice given about children up to five
years old.
2417 visits made during the year were as follows :—
Infants 1761
Measles 396
Tuberculosis 155
Expectant mothers 87
Other visits 18
2417
On inquiring into the feeding of 245 infants, 117 were breast
fed; 55 were breast and bottle fed; 42 bottle fed; 31 had moved
and address not known.
There were more babies bottle fed and partly bottle fed
during the year, owing to the fact of the mother going out to
work. There has been plenty of work for the women, and the
mothers, owing to food being dear, in many cases have had to go
out to work, but it has not been good for the homes, the homes
and feeding of older children being of secondary consideration
when other work has had to be done.
There were 37 deaths during the year under one year old ;
13 died before they were fourteen days' old.