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37
In addition, 156 visits and 1,826 re-visits were
rendered futile owing to the absence of the mother or
the occasion being inconvenient for an interview.

The Council's Health Visitors assist the London
Hospital Maternity Charity by reporting on the home
conditions and preparations of expectant mothers who
have booked with that hospital for midwifery services.
Liaison also exists with the L.C.C. School Medical
Service, our child welfare record cards being transferred
to the Divisional Medical Officer as the children either
enter school or attain the age of 5.
I have to draw attention to the continued reduction
in the number of outdoor visits paid by the Health
Visitors. These have fallen from 34,120 in 1930 to
31,065 in 1931, and 29,636 in 1932. The fall in 1932
is more serious than it appears, because the above
figure includes 2,184 extra visits which were necessitated
in this year owing to the outbreak of Measles, thus
obscuring the fact that the ordinary visits to babies
and children—the chief work of the Health Visitorshad
fallen by 3,074. The fall in the birth rate may
be discounted as an important factor in explaining
this because a comparison of the visit figures with those
of the child population of the Borough will show that
the visitation is quite inadequate. This is particularly
marked in the toddler age group. The chief explanation
is undoubtedly that the services of the Health Visitors
have been increasingly taken up with additional sessions
at the Welfare Centres and their outdoor work has