INFANT AND MATERNAL WELFARELecture 14

Medicine, Disease and Society in Britain, 1750 - 1950

LECTURE AIMS AND OUTLINE From public health to social medicine - Physical deterioration and national

efficiency

Infant and maternal welfare - Social medicine agenda - Policies and education - How effective were measures?

SOCIAL MEDICINE: 1880-1930 Shift state interest from control of disease ( e.g.

sanitary reform & vaccination)to the promotion of health

By

- Improving social conditions- Providing health education- Increased provision of services

THE BOER WAR 1899-1902 AND NATIONAL EFFICIENCY The Boer War led to a specially appointed

Committee on Physical Deterioration in 1903.

The Committee explored why so many army recruits were unfit.

1904 Committee report - no evidence of long-term physical deterioration in the British population, but they did make these recommendations:

a) Medical inspections of children in schoolsb) Free school meals for the very poorc) Training in mother craft.

INFANT MORTALITY

End of the C19th, Medical Officers of Health observed and analysed infant mortality.

Education Act 1906: meals to be given to school children.

Education Act 1907: established medical inspection of schools.

Notification of Births Act 1907: local officer of health should be informed within 6 weeks of a birth so a health visitor could visit.

System of notification was made compulsory in 1915.

INFANT MORTALITY Maternity and Child Welfare Act 1918 - local authority to set up a maternal and

child welfare committee - enabled local authorities to provide a

range of services e.g. health visitors, day nurseries and food and milk.

Ministry of Health 1919 - Dept. devoted to infant and maternal

welfare

The photographer’s caption for this vivid illustration of domestic poverty was ‘Distressing scenes in the East End. All the food in the house – a little butter, sugar and a nearly empty tin of milk.

July, 1912’.

MOTHERHOOD AND EDUCATION General method of education was leaflets on

infant management. Lectures (poorly attended) and infant

consultations also offered. Voluntary agencies opened Schools for

Mothers. First ‘School for Mothers’ – St. Pancras, 1907. Combination of classes and health talks,

individual consultations, advice on feeding and weighing the baby.

Target audience = upper w-class (poor with irregular earnings or small earnings).

ST PANCRAS SCHOOL FOR MOTHERS 1907

INFANT WELFARE CLINIC. (C.1914)

A CHARITY, FOUNDED IN 1907, THE ST PANCRAS WELCOME OFFERED A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES TO MOTHERS AND BABIES. THESE WERE NOT FREE, BUT AVAILABLE FOR A SMALL FEE.

Leaflet advertising the new Mother’s and Babies’ Welcome in St Pancras, London, 1907.

CONCLUSION Infant and maternal welfare was an important part

of the state’s objective to improve national efficiency.

It is unclear whether infant and maternal welfare policies were primarily responsible for the fall in infant mortality.

Policies did carry a strong ideology of motherhood. Emphasis on better child-care and motherhood

reinforced women’s traditional role. W-class women were thought to be in greatest

need of instruction.