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54
will be seen that in the 15 cases enquired into, all were being fed
artifically. This fact, when considered with the information given
in a previous table that 487 children were being fed naturally at
the first visit, and the information derived from a second visit
that there was a reduction in the number so fed of 33 per cent.,
means that out of 322 cases where natural feeding was persisted
in, there was a death-rate from these diseases of 3 per 1,000, as
against a death-rate from the same cause of 119 per 1,000 among
bottle-fed babies.
From these facts it will be apparent that the first principle
to be followed in combating Infant Mortality is the encouragement
of natural feeding, the second guiding principle is the better
education of mothers in the choice and use of substitutes for
mother's milk, because even the best of artificial foods are only
imitations.
The next largest number of deaths from one cause was from
Bronchitis and Pneumonia. These diseases when they occur are
specially fatal to infants, and are always prevalent during the
colder months of the year, and more especially when Measles is
prevalent.
In Hounslow North Ward the Ellis Creche is provided and
maintained by voluntary effort for the care of children whose
mothers require to go out to work during the day. In the
Isleworth Wards, where there is. much female labour employed,
such an Institution would be of great benefit, as meantime many
infants are either left in the hands of a neighbour who has her
own duties to carry out, or are left in charge of children, themselves
of tender years.
In the Isleworth parish, certain help is given by voluntary
agency, a Maternity Society connected with the Church, in loaning
poor expectant mothers with a box containing requirements
necessary at these times.