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32 Sanitary Circumstances.
rural conditions disappear and a locality grows towards city conditions.
There is nothing in the statistics which shows that the present
state of affairs in Barnes and Mortlake compares otherwise than
favourable with other more or less similar places. Indeed the
statistics reflect the high state of sanitary efficiency.
In this connection we advise that a scheme be prepared for the
establishment of a Maternity Centre and an Infant Consultation,
which would include advice to expectant mothers, the weighing and
examining of infants so as to ensure that they are making progress,
and where advice may be received; also that medical treatment be
afforded as far as the necessary expenses in connection with it are
provided by voluntary contributions. It would be necessary for the
Health Visitor to give up her school work. The cost of the scheme
would be £200 per annum, of which half would be recovered from
the L.G.B.
It is not considered necessary to establish a Milk Depot."
With regard to Maternity cases our records are as follows:—
Deaths from Accidents and Diseases of Parturition and
Pregnancy—
1912 1 1913 2 1914 2
Cases of overlaying—
1912 0 1913 3 1914. 1
Puerperal Fever—
1912 1 1913 0 1914 0
The cases of Puerperal Fever reported are few, and are
seldom likely to be a true record, owing to the predominance of the
human factor in the case of the attendant in the lying-in-wards.
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
Figures have been got out over a period of ten years shewing
that, with the exception of a rise in 1911, the infantile mortality has
markedly diminished since the years 1904-5-6.