Sir William Henry Power. 



V 



the whole, remained practically unaltered for more than half a century, 

 whereas the " all causes at all ages " rate had undergone steady reduction 

 during the same period. 



In this connection, moreover, he directed attention to the remarkable fact 

 that if only the " all causes " infantile death-rate in England and Wales had 

 improved pari jpctssu with the death-rate for " all causes at all ages," this 

 would have meant, during the quinquennial period 1898-1902 for instance, a 

 saving of the lives of no less than 120,000 infants over and above those who 

 actually survived ; in other words, that there had been a loss of infant lives, 

 from causes in all probability largely preventable, to the extent of no less than 

 24,000 per annum. 



In this, as in other problems engaging his attention from time to time, he 

 had no sooner elucidated to his satisfaction what appeared to constitute the 

 main factors concerned in the annually recurring " slaughter of the innocents " 

 than he sec himself the further task of determining the lines along which 

 progress might be expected to conduce to improved expectation of life in the 

 case of infants, whether newly born or of later age. His recommendations to 

 this end laid special stress on the necessity of the breast-feeding of infants or, 

 where this was impracticable, or the child was already weaned, on the use of 

 cows' milk the purity of which was ensured so far as possible by supervision 

 of all the circumstances attending its production and distribution. 



Among further recommendations he directed attention to the injurious effects 

 likely to ensue on defective environment such as over-crowding and other 

 conditions incidental to unsanitary housing accommodation. Eemedial 

 measures advocated by him, which have since received the endorsement of 

 legislative enactments, include the notification of births, the training and 

 appointment of health visitors, the co-ordination of voluntary organisations 

 for Infant Welfare under the general supervision of the medical officer of 

 health, and the control of milk supplies as well as, incidentally, other food 

 supplies which are of essential importance to infants. 



During his long connection with the Local Government Board he planned 

 and directed a large part of the work of the Medical Department, including 

 that comprised in the " Auxiliary Scientific Investigations " of which he was 

 placed in charge when still a Medical Inspector, while of the numerous 

 reports dealing with matters concerning the public health issued during his 

 period of service many were either written by him or owed much to his 

 editorial criticism and supervision. Nevertheless it is a somewhat curious 

 fact that, owing to his retiring disposition, he was comparatively little known 

 outside official circles. Indeed, his horror of publicity in any form or shape 

 was so intense that he would neither attend meetings at which he might be 

 called upon to speak, nor would he be photographed. The usual reference 

 books knew him not, and even the ' Medical Directory ' contained the barest 

 modicum of information concerning him, until (almost certainly without his 

 knowledge) the matter was taken in hand by one of his colleagues in the 

 Medical Department. 



