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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
Notification of Births.
The birth-rate for 1927 was 18.9. There were 6,297 lire
births and 219 stillbirths officially notified in accordance with the
1907 Act.
Number of Births tin the Borough in the last 5 years:—
1923 1924 1925 1926 1927
7803 7202 7017 6710 5991
These figures represent the net number of births of West
Ham residents.
All children born in the Borough are visited at regular
intervals during infancy and the first 5 years of life, when the
child usually passes over to the care of the School Medical
Service. Summary cards are made out by the Health Visitors
for all children at 5 years of age or at the age when the child
enters school—this is as early as 4 and 4½ years in the poorer
districts of West Ham. These cards show the method of feeding
in infancy, and a note ,is made of any illnesses from which the
child has suffered, so that such notes prove of great service at
the first and subsequent School Medical Inspections.
On receiving a notification of birth, the Health Visitor of
the district visits the Mother and Baby on the eleventh day: i.e.,
after the doctor or midwife has ceased to attend. Quarterly visits
are paid during the first year; visits at intervals of 4 months
during the second year, and every 6 months from 2—5 years of
age. In cases of delicate or ailing babies, extra visits are paid.
These visits are of the greatest value in Public Health work:
advice is given on general hygiene and the care of infants and
toddlers, special stress being laid on the importance of breast
feeding. The mother is 'taught how to augment the supply of
breast milk, and, in necessitous cases, is advised where she can
obtain extra nourishment, e.g., Dried Milk—free or at a cheap
rate (see pages 103, 104). In addition, these visits form the
basis of the work carried on at the Clinics. Mothers are encouraged
to attend Infant Welfare Centres so that the child may
have the benefit of continuous medical supervision.

Clinics.
There are 7 Voluntary and 2 Municipal Centres in the
Borough. Clinics are held for infants and toddlers at all centres.
Antenatal Clinics at which the mothers are seen and advised by
a doctor are held at four of the Voluntary and at both Municipal
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