View report page

51
The special efforts of former years were continued in this, and leaflets
on " Infant Feeding " and the prevention of Summer Diarrhoea were
freely distributed. I have attributed, on former occasions, good results
from these efforts and how far they are successful, is difficult to gauge.
On many occasions I have had personal testimony from mothers of the
usefulness of these leaflets, and doubtless with the advent of our Lady
Health Visitor, better results await us from a more judicious distribution.
Enquiries were made in all the cases of death, and in this way 153
were investigated as to the social condition of the parents, whether they
occupied a house, half house or were lodgers; whether the sites of the
houses were concreted and yards paved; into the water supply, whether
direct from the main or indirectly through a cistern; whether the
mothers were employed other than in domestic duties; the length of
time of the babies' illness, and as to the kind of food supplied them. At
the same time information was obtained as to the average number of
persons per house, the cleanliness of rooms and the flushing arrangements
of water closets.

Over 90 per cent. of the yards were paved, and over 50 per cent. of
the sites concreted, and no serious sanitary defects were found. The