76 Timehri. 



It was early recognised that the assistance of milk depots, lying-in 

 charities, maternity insurances, and the like, while helping those imme- 

 diately concerned, yet had no appreciable influence on the general infant 

 mortality, but that some educational scheme would be necessary to reach 

 the greater bulk of the women, mothers present and future of the nation. 



France, ever foremost in realising the value of increased healthy 

 population, began in 1906 her f< Consultations de Xourissons,"' first in 

 connection with the maternity hospitals, later as independent under- 

 takings. 



To these were brought infants and mothers who had left the hos- 

 pitals, and records were kept of the infants' progress, regular weighing 

 being a special feature, while the mothers were given advice as to 

 simple rules of health and encouraged to nurse their babies. The spirit 

 of competition was fostered by prizes for well-cared-for babies, and 

 directions given as to necessity for attendance at hospital or other 

 medical treatment if signs of disease were discovered. 



On these " Consultations ' ? the " School for Mothers " was based, 

 infant consultations were held once a week, and the attendance of 

 mothers increased gradually, most of them rinding that a little help in 

 the choice of food, bottles, and clothing, meant a great saving in 

 expense, and a great improvement in health of both parent and child. 



In 1912 the fifth annual report of the St. Pancras " School " gives 

 330 mothers in regular attendance, and 1,550 visits had been paid during 

 the year, while two more schools have been opened in or near the 

 district to meet the needs of the mothers. 



The undertaking is not in any sense a charity, though charitable 

 branches, such as free meal restaurants, prizes for baby sho*s, cookery 

 and dressmaking classes, etc., have been gradually added — the mothers 

 are given advice only, first at the school, and later by visitors attached to 

 the school, the main object being to educate the mothers in infant care, 

 while leaving the responsibility for the health of their children wholly in 

 the hands of the parents. 



Jn connection with the School there is a Mothers' Provident Fund, 

 where mothers deposit small sums per week or per month during preg- 

 nancy, the total being used for the benefit of the child later on. Simple 

 teaching is given to expectant mothers, and there is no doubt that the 

 scheme is an unqualified success. 



It may be said that the conditions of infant life here are entirely 

 different to those of an overcrowded district of London, but the main 

 factor in the waste of infant life is the same — ignorance. Factory 

 legislation we do not need — milk depots we cannot at present afford — 

 but education we must have if we are to supply the colony with healthy 

 citizens in the next generation. 





