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19 [1916
Seven post-natal consultations are held every week, at which the babies
are weighed and the mothers consult the doctors about their babies. A
careful record is kept of their condition. For the year ending March 31st,
1916, the attendances were 5,340, and for the year ending December 31st,
1916, they were 7,883. Every child is examined thoroughly as near its
birthday as possible, and a special record is kept of these examinations. The
ante-natal and birthday records and any other information that might be
useful at the L.C.C. school medical inspection is recorded on a special card,
which is forwarded to the L.C.C. school medical officer when the child is of
school age.
Short talks are given on consultation days on subjects that affect the
health of the mother and the child.
A sewing class is held once a week. Individual instruction in sewing and
knitting is given on every consultation day whenever required.
The mothers have been visited in their homes by four professional visitors
and 21 voluntary visitors. The object of the visiting is to establish a feeling
of friendship between the home and the Centre, to see that the doctor's orders
are carried out, and to help with individual difficulties. Each professional
visitor is responsible for a certain district, and visits ante-natal and post-natal
cases that have been notified at the Town Hall.
The number of visits paid for the year ending March 31st, 1916, was 3,060,
and for the year ending December 31st, 1916, 7,634.
The number of voluntary visits paid for the year ending March 31st, 1916,
was 710, and for the year ending December 31st, 1916, was 1,312.
A number of children who need attention for minor ailments or advice or
massage attend at the Centre in the mornings. For the year ending
December 31st, 1916, these "morning calls" numbered 1,185.
Four women have been employed as "home helps." These women look
after the home and children when the mother is laid aside. The mothers pay
as much as the Home Helps Committee consider reasonable, taking into
account all the mother's circumstances.
A Home Helps Club has also been formed, and over 100 mothers have
become members and pay in a small amount each week to secure a home help
when necessary.
The Centre is a branch of the Women's Country Holiday Fund, and 23
women went to Herne Bay from the Centre during the summer.
The North London Midwives' Association has its meetings at 9, Manor
Gardens.
A course of lectures to midwives has been given at the Centre under the
auspices of the L.C.C. from October to February.
A Dental Clinic for L.C.C. elementary school children was started in
October, 1916, in a part of the building, and is proving very successful.
The number of children on the books on March 31st, 1916, was 1,042, and
on December 31st, 1916, the number was 1,873. The number of children
under one year attending the Centre at March 31st, 1916, was 571 during the
year ending at that date, and the deaths 24, making an infant mortality rate
per 1,000 attendances of 42.03,