View report page

9
professional secrecy. We shall, however, look forward
to see some amendments in the near future. Infantile
mortality is largely a matter of the personality of the
parents, for even in the same street there may be
found families living practically under the same conditions,
except so far as the habits of the parents are
concerned. The whole question resolves itself to a
great extent into one of education, and on this view
it may of course be inferred, that infantile mortality
exerts its greatest influence upon the children of the
indolent, the drunkard, and the diseased. As education
and improved social conditions advance, we may
expect to see a diminution of infantile mortality.
"The Education Act," 1907,
came into force in the early part of the year it has
been termed the "children's charter," and having regard
to the enormous potentialities of the measure, the
title is not altogether inappropriate.
"The Children Act."
The chief provision of this important proposal may
be regarded as more social, than medical. We may,
however, welcome many of its provisions as distinctly
promoting the health of children, and also having a
bearing on infantile mortality. This is more particularly
the case with reference to Part I of this Act,
which deals in effect with baby farming and infantile
insurance. Part III of this Act refers to the injurious