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Prevention is ever better than cure in the realm of medical and
surgical science, and there is reasonable probability that rightly
directed efforts towards the reduction of those defects found to be
most prevalent during school life and revealed at the medical inspection
of scholars would go far to create a healthier, happier and more
intelligent class of school children than the teachers are called upon
to educate today. The fact must not be lost sight of that the
child of today will be the man or woman of tomorrow, and the
parent of the future.
We have discussed the pre-natal, and post-natal welfare of the
child, and incidentally also the care of the mother in so far as upon
her health will depend the health of her offspring. It remains for us
to consider the mother's health for her own sake. The confinement
is perhaps the most critical moment of a woman's life. Upon the
skilful handling of the patient, even in the perfectly normal accouchement,
will depend her health during the rest of her life.
When, unfortunately, the confinement has not followed a normal
course, and post-natal treatment, surgical or medical, is required, the
Local Government Board suggest that the Local Authority should have
at their disposal means for providing such treatment, either in a
Hospital, at a Maternity Centre or in the home.
Several of the larger towns, e.g., Birmingham, York, etc., have
already established Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, and have
provided hospital accommodation for suffering mothers and ailing
children. Milk depots have been set up, doctors, dentists and health
visitors have been appointed, and the campaign against Infantile Mortality
has assumed a considerable degree of activity.