MRS. FOWLES' PAPER 363 



has said: " In motherhood, properly instructed and 

 respected, there is a potentiality of health and well- 

 being for future generations beyond the dreams of 

 the most enthusiastic sanitarian." We are trying to 

 make expectant motherhood properly instructed and 

 respected. 



PRACTICAL WORK AMONG EXPECTANT 

 MOTHERS. 



BY MRS. FOWLES. 



Superintcndtnt o/ the RirmingJiam Settlement School for Mothers. 



THE " Birmingham Women's Settlement School 

 for Mothers" began its work in February, 1909, in 

 the three wards surrounding the Settlement. 



Its aim is to educate the mothers in home and 

 personal hygiene, and feeding, clothing, and general 

 care of infants, with a view to reducing the very high 

 infant mortality rate, and making the growing 

 infants more healthy and better citizens. 



After six months it was thought advisable to 

 concentrate the work and take for its area one ward 

 only. This ward has an area of 184 acres, and its 

 population in 1911 was 11,917. This gives no idea 

 of the crowded condition of its inhabited dwellings, 

 unless account is taken of the factories, workshops, 

 and workplaces, which are thickly interspersed among 

 the houses ; in many cases forming part of a court of 

 back to-back houses. 



The highest birth-rate during the past eight years 

 was 327 in 1908, and the lowest 26*9 in 1904. The 

 infant mortality rate has been never below 200 

 during these years. Seventy-nine per cent, of the 

 mothers work in factories from leaving school, and 

 6 1 per cent, continue to do so after marriage, 

 either regularly or in times of stress, caused by 



