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This of course, was in addition to the work done by the two women
sanitary inspectors who were also still making visits in the same field
in addition to their normal work. By 1919 there were four full-time
health visitors and two women sanitary inspectors.
The establishment of a municipal maternity home together with
a child welfare and ante-natal clinic in June 1918 considerably enhanced
the value of the work done in relation to maternity and child welfare.
The maternity home was opened by Queen Mary on 1 June 1918 at
41 Rushey Green. The upper portion of the building was used as a
maternity home containing 12 beds, and the lower portion as a child
welfare and ante-natal clinic. To the child welfare clinic all children
under five years of age requiring treatment were referred by the six
voluntary centres which were then existing in the Borough. In its first
full year (1919) there were 176 confinements in the maternity home.
Applications for admission to the maternity home far exceeded the
available accommodation, so it was necessary to give preference to those
whose home conditions were such that a confinement could not take
place there, and to cases recommended by medical practitioners where
danger was anticipated at the time of the confinement.
The Voluntary Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough numbered
six in 1919, and the attendances were as follows:—

Each voluntary centre was held once during the week, the consultation
being presided over by the assistant Medical Officer of Health,
and the Health Visitor for the district was also in attendance, lectures
were given on health, hygiene, nursing, etc., and prizes were awarded
every year for attendance and proficiency in mothercraft. No financial
assistance was given to their centres, by the Council, but a grant
equivalent to 50 per cent of the working expenses was given by the
Minister of Health. In addition to the advice in regard to the health
of their children given to the mothers who attended the centres, facilities
for the purchase of clothing, dried milk, virol etc., at costprice were
afforded.
As far as could be ascertained there were 24 midwives practising in
the Borough in 1919, eighteen of these midwives were practising on
their own account and six were employed by nursing associations.
The number of cases attended, by the midwives was estimated at
410, and was increasing with each year.