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probably as numerous as all the deaths under one year of age and
the still-births combined. Many, perhaps most of these mishaps might
be prevented by care on the part of the mother and proper treatment
when necessary. It is even probable that some of the abortions are
deliberately caused.
The care of the pregnant woman is the most reliable means of
ensuring that the child will be born with a reasonable chance of
surviving. The Local Government Board's scheme proposes that the
Local Authority should provide centres where skilled advice may be
given to the expectant mother ; and that where necessary, treatment
should be administered.
Having done what is possible to ensure the birth of a healthy
child, it is necessary further to supervise the conditions under which
it is nurtured. If the treatment of the mother has been entirely
successful, there is the probability that she will be able to nurse the
child, and when that is possible, no considerations, unless they are
based on urgent medical grounds should be allowed to disturb nature s
method of nourishing the young.
But urgent medical reasons do, occasionally, prevent the continuance
of breast feeding. Sometimes the supply does not equal the demand,
and other means have to be found to make up the deficiency. In
October of 1915 the Milk Act will come into operation, enabling a
local authority to establish a depot equipped with the necessary apparatus
for the supply of clean, whole sterilized milk at not less than cost price.
It is a recognised fact that Infantile Diarrhoea and Enteritis
(which are probably different names for the same thing) are caused
by the presence of germ life in the milk. The germs, either by their
direct action upon the digestive tract, or indirectly by their fermenting
action upon the milk which disturbs the digestive function, set up one
of the most fatal of infantile diseases.
The Act also empowers the local authority to take certain measures
to prevent the contamination of milk by the Tubercular Bacillus. To
this micro-organism is attributed the reputation of causing enlarged
glands in the neck and bowels; inflammation of the brain and destruction
of joints and bones. It is remarkable that the germ that causes
Consumption of the Lungs in adults seldom gives rise to the same
complaint in the child, but so it is,