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92
Every effort has been made to impress on mothers the importance
of breast-feeding, and they are distinctly less ready to adopt
artificial feeding than they were three years ago. Success with
wasting babies is greater than formerly; unfortunately several
doing well have succumbed lately to bronchial catarrh.
The provision of free milk to needy mothers has been a great
boon to many children. One feeble, puny child of 2 years, unable
to walk or talk, increased by more than half its original weight in
four months (15½ to 23½ lbs.) and became an apparently normal
child, the only change in the circumstances being a good supply of
cow's milk and oil. This is not the only case of a remarkable change
due to suitable food.
Nursing mothers and their babies still sometimes suffer from
an insufficient supply of cow's milk, especially in small families,
where no reduction in the price of milk is usually allowed.
Ante-natal Welfare.
The mother's consultations appear to be as much appreciated
as the Infants' Centres, although the numbers must necessarily be
smaller. There have been 177 new cases and 377 attendances, an
average of 15 per consultation. A much larger number could not
be dealt with satisfactorily in one afternoon, as all new cases require
a thorough examination and detailed instructions about the
management of pregnancy, the expected confinement, and the
early care of the baby until it can be brought to the Centre.
Nursing mothers frequently express their appreciation of the
maternity consultations, especially those who for the first time have
been able to nurse their own babies. A considerable minority
of the mothers attending are found to be suffering from some
abnormality, and nine cases of general disease, mostly heart, lung,
or kidney trouble, have been referred to a private doctor, or to a
hospital, for a prolonged course of treatment. Six cases of
suspected venereal disease have been sent to a special centre for