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52
is very considerable, the staff have invariably co-operated
willingly in this matter.
HEALTH VISITORS.
During the year it became increasingly apparent
that the amount of work devolving upon the Health
Visitor was excessive. There are upwards of 16,000
children in the Borough under five years of age, a large
proportion of whom come more or less within the scope
of this officer's observation. Nearly 4,000 births are
notified annually, of which three-fourths require to be
not only visited but re-visited. Beyond this there are
many matters requiring attention, including the visitation
of certain notifiable diseases, special enquiries in
seasonal infantile complaints, etc., etc. In addition to
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these matters, the distress which arose in consequence
of the European war increased Miss Hammond's work,
and it became necessary for an additional Health Visitor
to be appointed.
Mrs. M. A. Hodgkins, who holds the necessary
qualifying certificate, was selected and appointed temporarily.
I submitted to the Committee rules for the
guidance of both officers; I proposed to allot to each
one of the registration districts into which the Borough
is divided. Miss Hammond selected the South-West and
Mrs. Hodgkins the North-East. The rules were agreed
to and apparently work satisfactorily. If no further
duties are added to those detailed above, the ground
may now be regarded as fairly well covered, but any
further activities requiring the services of these officers
will undoubtedly result in the necessity for further
appointments.