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11
MIDWIFERY SERVICES.
The Local Supervising Authority under the Midwives Act
is the Middlesex County Council.
There are 19 Midwives, including the Municipal Midwife,
notified to the Middlesex County Council as practising in the
Borough, 9 of whom reside outside the Borough.
The Municipal Midwife attended 165 births, in addition to
86 ante-natal clinics held at the Welfare Centres—Brook Road,
Wightinan Road, Church Road, Highgate, and Coldfall Clinic.
One of the conditions upon which the Council's Midwife accepts
a case is that the expectant mother shall attend an ante-natal
clinic.
A reduction of her fee was made in 43 necessitous cases.
1,737 births have been attended by the Borough Midwife since
the appointment was first made in 1922.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The work of the Maternity and Child Welfare Department
comprises:—
(1) The regular visiting by the Health Visitors of infants and
children up to 5 years of age in their homes, and the
giving of advice to mothers in regard to infant hygiene
and feeding.
(2) Medical consultations at the four centres, as set out in the
accompanying table. Children from birth up to the age
of 5 years are seen by the doctors. There is no gap in
the medical supervision of the children between the age
of 2 years and 5 years, when they enter school. The
supervision is continuous for those mothers who desire
it, but, of course, there is no compulsion on any mother
to bring a child to a centre if she does not wish to
do so.
(3) Ante-natal consultations, at which expectant mothers are
advised regarding their health and assisted to make
arrangements for the expected confinement.
(4) Maternity service rendered by the whole-time Municipal
Midwife.