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40
The frequency of the revisits to the child's home will depend upon
the nature of the case. In the larger towns it has been found that the
average number of visits required by an infant during the first year of
life is from 8 to 10 ; on this average some have received less and others
many more than the average.
This figure does not include ante-natal visits; or visits between the
ages of 1 and 5 years, which will also vary in frequency according to
home conditions.
It is essential that the medical officer of health should be in close
touch with the daily work of the health visitor and should personally
direct her work.
Where, as will frequently be the case, the medical officer of health
and the doctor at the maternity centre are different persons, it is desirable
that arrangements should be made whereby all records, both of ante
and post-natal visits, as also the medical records of the centre, should
be on a uniform basis; and arrangements should also be made for the
health visitor to visit such special cases as may be desired by the medical
officer of the centre.
Infant Consultations, &c.
I am pleased to be able to report that there are now at least four
centres in the district inaugurated for the purposes of child welfare at:—
The Town Hall.
Cornbury Road Mission Hall.
The Albany Institute.
The Deptford Health Centre and Evelyn Home.
Town Hall.
The work here is good but needs to be extended. It is inefficiently
supported by the local authority and a grant from the Local Government
Board is badly required.
Nature and scope of work.
Infant consultations and lectures for mothers are held each week.
The mothers take an interest in the teaching and are very keen to
absorb the knowledge expounded to them. Several expectant mothers
have attended the classes. The annual examination for knowledge in
Infant care was held in December, and was conducted by Dr. Macdonald.