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Clinic for Sick Mothers and Children under school age.—The special weekly
clinic (Dr. F. L. Provis) has been continued at the St. Pnncras Dispensary,
39, Oakley Square. The patients are referred to the clinic from the various
infant welfare centres, the health-visitors, and other sources. During 1918,
386 new cases under five years of age were treated, the total number of
attendances of sick children being 1666; 81 women were also attended for
illness associated with pregnancy or the puerperium, who made 230 attendances.
The Medical Officer is paid by the Borough Council, and there is a
half-time Visiting Nurse, half of whose salary is repaid to the Dispensary by
the Mayoress of St. Pancras Nursing Fund for Sick Poor Children. In 1918
the nurse made 718 visits to children under 5.
Dental Clinic for Mothers and Children under school age.—The Borough Council
hold a dental clinic at the British Dentists' Hospital, 31, Camden Road,
N.W. 1, at which are dealt with mothers and children attending at and
referred by the infant welfare centres in the borough. The hospital is paid
by the Council for the use of the premises, including a fully equipped dental
surgery, and the services of the matron, on such afternoons as it is required
(once a week in 1918); and the Council's dentist (Mrs. "Winifred Murch,
l.d.s.) is paid at the rate of One Guinea per afternoon clinic, as is also the
anaesthetic (Dr. J. Maughan) who attends when anaesthetics are required.
The clinic was opened on April 15th, 1918, and for the rest of the year was
held once a week. Up to the end of 1918 the work done was as follows:—
Number of Clinics 34
„ new cases (m thers) 122} 161
,, „ (children) 39}
Total number of attendances 495
Number of attendances for extractions under nitrous oxide (" gas ") 79
,, ,, „ „ local anaesthessia 47
,, ,, when fillings were done 88
„ ,, ,, scalings were done 50
„ ,, for impressions, fitting dentures, etc 172
,, „ ,, examinations, etc. 103
No charge is made for extractions (with or without " gas "), fillings and
scalings, but the patients are required to pay towards the expense of dentures.
For these the dentist is paid separately at the rate of £2 for a single denture,
and £4 for two dentures. The patients obtain assistance from the Metropolitan
Sunday Hospital Fund, pay the uselves according to our assessment, and
the remainder of the fees are paid from a special voluntary fund (the St.
Pancras Dental Fund) which has been raised by the efforts of Councillor A.
Escott, Chairman of the Maternity and Child Welfare Sub-Committee. In
general the patients themselves pay for the dentures about one half of the
dentist's fees. To the end of the rear 26 patients were fitted with dentures.
The total cost of these was £80, of which £45 5s. Od. was paid by the patients
themselves, £14 10s. Od. (for 20 patients) by the St. Pancras Dental
Fund, and £'20 5s. Od. by the Hospital Sunday Fund. The number of dentures
fitted has been greater since the end of the year. The proportion of
children dealt with has also increased since that time.