[Report 1915] / Medical Officer of Health, Birkenhead County Borough.

  • Birkenhead (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1915
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1915] / Medical Officer of Health, Birkenhead County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/102 (page 13)
    (4) Tfie systematic home visitation of infants ami of children not on a scliool register as above delinud.” In my last year’s report I gave in full detail (pp. ‘22—27) the scheme as it is proposed to be worked. Premises have been secured, and as soon as vacant possession can be obtained, they will be put iuto order and made suitable for carrying on the work, and the Maternity and Child Welfare Centre will be in operation. THE VALUE OF INFANT LIFE. A writer in the “Telegraph” has called attention to the fact that the terrible slaughter taking place in the present War is raising the value of human life, and before it is all over we shall have lost many thousands of our best citizens, and many of the most 6t of its manhood, Othei wars have left us sadder and poorer, but not seriously depleted in manhood, and there is no denying that the population of Great Britain, as well as of the Colonies, will by the war is over be very appreciably reduced. The future of the Country then, depends on the children of to-day, and no effort must be spared to preserve the young life of the nation. Are we in Birkenhead doing all that can be done in this direction ? In normal times in England and Wales there are about 800.000 babies born per aunum, and of these something like 100.000 die before they are 12 months old. The actual figures, as given by Mr. Walter Long, President of the Local Government Board, as to the deaths of infants under one year of age in England and Wales are as follows :— Six months ended March 31, 1913 1914 191,5 1916 ♦» ff V 47,274 48,965 50,219 41,971 And out of every 1000 that die, some 109 pass away within