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36
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE ACT, 1918.
The powers under this Act were delegated to the Public Health
Committee by the Council in December, 1918, and a Maternity and
Child Welfare Committee was appointed consisting of the members
of the Public Health Committee together with three co-opted
members, who were engaged on social and infant welfare work in
the Borough. This Committee met for the first time on 2nd
January, 1919.
The following are reports of the Medical Officers of the Borough
Council's Infant Welfare Centres on the cases attended at the
Centres during the year 1918:—
Brooksbys' Walk, Homerton, Infant Welfare Centre.
During 1918, 465 mothers with their babies attended the
Centre; of these 365 were new cases. 2,616 visits were paid by
the mothers.
During the year, so far as can be ascertained, nine of the
children died—1 of meningitis, 4 of diarrhoea and vomiting, and
4 of pneumonia. No child died of any complaint that was being
attended to at the Centre ; all deaths were due to intercurrent
disease.
A very large amount of advice has been given to mothers in
regard to the feeding of their children and to general questions of
hygiene.
One case of congenital syphilis presented itself and was much
benefitted by the treatment. Another doubtful case was sent
with a note to the London Hospital, but I have not yet heard if a
Wasserman reaction has been tried.
Two cases of Mongolian imbecility, and 1 of mental deficiency
were diagnosed, and the mothers were advised of the condition,
and asked to attend regularly for observation to be kept.