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11
Out of these duties, other spheres of usefulness developed in
the progress of the work.
The Borough was divided into three, and a separate district
assigned to each lady health visitor.
The homes where births occur are visited, and on each
occasion advice is given to the mother on the methods of feeding,
washing and clothing the baby, and on the general care of its
health. A small book on the management of children is left with
the mother and its chief provisions explained. An invitation is
extended to the parent to attend the infant consultations, held
each week at 2.30 p.m. in—
The Town Hall—Friday.
The Mothers' Guild, 65, St. John Street—Thursday.
St. Luke's Institute, Radnor Street—Thursday.
Branch Library, Penton Street—Wednesday.
At these centres the babies are weighed, and the weight entered
on cards on each occasion. The average attendance has been
just below twenty mothers. Questions are asked and answered,
and short lectures are given on appropriate subjects.
Tea and buns are provided—at cost price to those who can pay
—gratis to those who are too poor. It is worthy of note that
50 per cent, of the expenses have been met by the contributions
of the mothers.
In addition to the work entailed in the immediate welfare of
the children, the living-room and the houses as a whole are inspected.
Measures are devised for the cleansing of verminous
rooms, verminous clothing and verminous bedding.
Gross sanitary defects are reported to the Sanitary Officers for
notice and amendment.
Mothers with sick and ailing babies have been put in the way
of obtaining medical treatment, and some of the children have
been sent to homes.