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Child Welfare 15
Health Visitors' Report for 1917.
There were 481 births, 291 in Mortiake and 190 in Barnes.
Of these 469 were notified by doctors or midwives; 243 births
were visited, and advice given verbally and by means of leaflets,
and the mothers urged to attend the centre at Afon House.
The following visits were paid during the year:—
Infants and children up to five years 1722
Measles 454
Tuberculosis 163
Expectant mothers 45
Other visits 15
2399
Only 22 expectant mothers were found and visited. No
information was forthcoming from the district midwives, who have
been provided with the necessary forms.
More babies are bottle-fed owing to the mothers going out to
work; 250 enquiries on this matter showed 116 breast-fed, 98 bottlefed,
9 part breast anil part bottle, 27 left the district.
The scarcity and high price of cow's milk has shown itself, but
has to some extent been overcome by a supply of condensed or
prepared milk.
33 infants died under one year of age; 10 of these were
illegitimate; five were found dead (abandoned); 12 died before
they were a fortnight old, and so escaped visiting. Of the 11
visited, nineijrgre bottle-fed and only two breast-fed.
There only 3 deaths from Diarrhoea, probably due to the
very wet summer. There were a few cases of Diarrhœa, and the only
infant death occurred in an illegitimate bottle-fed baby of one month.
Child Welfare Centre.
During 1917, 106 new babies attended, bringing the register up
to 285. The centre was opened on 46 Thursdays and the attendance
was good, viz.: Babies, 1,018; mothers, 1,429; other
children, 527.
Of the 106 new babies, 64 belonged to Mortiake and 40 to