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5
INFANT MORTALITY.
Of the 221 children born, 13 died under one year of
age, yielding an Infant Mortality Rate of 58.8 per 1,000
born. This rate was 85.8 for 1918, and 67.9 for 1917-
Five children died from Premature birth within a
few hours of birth, others from Bronchitis (2), Congenital
Heart Disease (1), Enteritis (3), Pneumonia (1).
In 1919 the Infant Mortality Rate for England and
Wales was 89, for London 85, and for the 148 SmallerTowns
90.
There were three still born births.
Undoubtedly many of these deaths of infants under
one year of age are preventible, and it may reasonably
be expected that the special efforts now being made
throughout the country to improve the health, wellbeing
and knowledge of expectant and nursing mothers
will greatly assist in saving the lives of many of these
children and also in improving the health and vitality
of those weakly ones, who, surviving the dangers of the
first year of life, yet need careful watching to keep them
in the right way.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
All births were notified to the Medical Officer of
Health. A few notifications were delayed later than
the period allowed under the Act. These people were
reminded of their liability, and instructed to be more
careful in the future.
The Health Visitor paid 1,345 visits to the homes
of infants whose births were notified; she also visited
a number of ante-natal cases, minor ailments, and attended
to two cases of Opthalmia Neonatorum which
were notified.
Her duties also included regular attendances at the
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics (in the capacity o'
Assistant Superintendent for the last three months), of
the Voluntary Centre. She has also rendered very
valuable assistance in the working of the Council's
Scheme for supplying milk and Glaxo to mothers and
bottle fed babies. This provides for the free supply