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agony of a patient in that condition, and of the relief that may be
given by skilful treatment, and by cunningly devised meals, and the
methods of taking them. The advice of a specialist in throat diseases
should be available at any moment, and this can be most easily
arranged on a large scale in such a hospital. A central Institution
for a large area appears to be a sounder proposition from the point
of administration and convenience of access than collections of beds
scattered here and there, many of them removed far from the area
they are serving. Frequent changing of Nursing Staff is possible
in a large General hospital, and this is very desirable in the nursing
of advanced consumption.
WILLIAM BRAND.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The extent of the Maternity and Child Welfare scheme operating
in Camberwell is represented by the following activities: —
1. The provision of 3 Municipal Infant Welfare Centres, and the subsidisation
of 5 Voluntary Schools for Mothers. In addition a School for Mothers exists in the
Cobourg Road area of the Borough, but is not subsidised by the Council.
2. The provision of a Municipal Ante-Natal Clinic.
3. The subsidisation of 2 Homes for Unmarried Mothers.
4. The subsidisation of a Day Nursery.
5. The payment for home nursing services of maternity and infectious disease
cases arising out of maternity, and for illnesses in young children under 5 years.
6. The supply of milk to necessitous mothers (nursing and expectant) and
young children.
7. The provision of convalescent treatment in special cases for mothers
after confinement, and for some conditions in young children.
8. The payment of midwives' fees for services rendered to necessitous mothers.
9. Dental treatment.
Work of the Infant Welfare Centres.
The following table presents at a glance the scope of the work
of the municipal and subsidised Infant Welfare Centres, and whilst
I do not deem it necessary to make comparisons of the work of
any one Centre with that of another, the critical eye will discern
a marked difference in the number of visits made by the officers of
the Voluntary Centres, compared with those made by the Municipal
officers. The explanation, however, is not far to seek when it is
noted that the whole of the visiting in the Municipal areas is done
by the health visitor, whereas most of the Voluntary Centres have
the assistance of more than one helper in this work.
Ante-Natal.
The prevention of still-births remains a vexed one, and the
co-operation of the medical practitioners and midwives in the
Borough is being sought with a view of obtaining information which
would be helpful in removing, where possible, the causes of abortion?
and still-births.