View report page

6
BABIES' HEALTH LEAGUE.
Mrs. Owen, who has done such excellent work as
hon. secretary from the commencement of the League,
having resigned, Mrs. Taylor, of "Rowney," Mount Park,
has recently been appointed hon. secretary. Throughout
the year a weekly return of births has been sent to
the League. It is desirable that the scope of the work
of the League should include every part of the district.
There can be no doubt that the visits of the workers to
many of the houses on the Bessborougb Estate, St.
Kilda's, Roxborough, Headstone, St. Annes and Pinner
Roads would have beneficial results.
This League has not received from the people of
Harrow that financial support which its work deserves
and requires. If it is to be carried on successfully, all
those interested in the preservation of infant life should
contribute generously to this most beneficent Society.
If sufficient funds are provided, the work of the League
would be greatly facilitated by the appointment of a
trained health visitor, whom the voluntary workers could
assist. Should private benevolence prove inadequate,
the Council may have to consider whether it should
not supply what may be lacking to the due performance
of this important duty.
HEALTH VISITOR.
But in any case, in view of the rapid increase of
population, the large influx of young people, the high
infantile mortality (amounting to 10 per cent, of the
births), and a declining birth-rate, I strongly recommend
the appointment of a "Health Visitor."
Many other sanitary authorities have found it
necessary to appoint such visitors to deal with the
deplorable infantile mortality and thereby save infant
life.
Infant life is a most valuable national asset. To
do nothing to decrease the present "slaughter of infants"
would be discreditable alike to our humanity and our
patriotism. We should take warning from what is
going on across the English Channel, where our French
friends are on the way to racial suicide. They have
not sufficient sons and daughters to populate their
colonies, but have actually to fill up the ranks of their