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(xiii) Homes for children of widowed and deserted
mothers, and for illegitimate children.
(xiv) Experimental work for the health of expectant
and nursing mothers and of infants and children
under five years of age.
(2) Maternal and Infant Welfare Work now carried
on in the Borough.
(a) Of the Borough Council.
(b) Of Voluntary Agencies.
(a) Practically no infant welfare work was undertaken
by the Borough Council until April, 1916, when two
Health Visitors were appointed. Before then there was
but one woman sanitary inspector who was only able to
give a small part of her time to infant visiting.
The Local Government Board regard the provision of
adequate home visiting as the most important element in
any scheme of Maternity and Child Welfare. In their
circular of September, 1916, they said that a Local
Authority should aim at securing a staff equal to one
whole time Health Visitor for each 500 births, but in
their memorandum of August, 1918, they state that as
the result of further experience they consider that this
standard should be modified and that if the various
functions of a Health Visitor are to be fully performed, a
district with about 400 births a year will be as much as
one Health Visitor can undertake. As in Fulham there
are about 3,000 births a year this would mean seven
Health Visitors, and after making allowance for two
nurses employed by the Fulham Infant Welfare Centre,
who do some visiting, we are of opinion that two
additional Health Visitors should be appointed.
The other services of the Borough Council are:—
(1) I he provision of a doctor for the aid in confinement
of necessitous women. The Council agreed last year to
pay the fees of doctors called in by midwives in cases of