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and would, no doubt, be more interested if the Health Visitors
could be relieved to give informal talks on subjects appertaining
to the care and management of infants, the home, and the making
and wearing of suitable clothing, etc.
The Centres' attendances and visits figures, taken as a whole,
show an increase over the previous year, and provide ample
evidence that the work done is highly appreciated.
There is, however, a disposition on the part of a great number
of mothers to discontinue the use of the Centres when their infants
commence to toddle.
It is stated that between 25 and 35 per cent. of children, on
their entry to school life, have some defects, and that the
majority of the defective pre-school children go wrong between
the ages of one and three years. There is no doubt that many of
these defects would have been discovered by periodical examination
by the Medical Officer at an Infant Welfare Centre. It is very
difficult to make mothers realise that an Infant Welfare Centre's
usefulness does not cease when the child reaches the age of 18
months or 2 years. Infant care work is meant to continue until
the child comes under the supervision of the Education Authorities.
Although it is true that the homes are visited periodically by
the Health Visitors until the child reaches the age of 5 years and
a certain amount of valuable advice is given in the care and management
of children, this cannot be effective without the co-operation
of medical advice and examination. Experience has shown
that there is a tendency in many cases for children, when they are
over 2 years of age, to be left to their own devices unless attacked
by an acute illness, and consequently physical disabilities, insidious
in their development, escape detection for some years. It
is realised that many mothers cannot perhaps give as much
thought to the physical well-being of her older children as she
would wish owing to the frequent arrival of a new baby, but,
generally speaking, there is no reason why the majority of mothers
nowadays should not continue to keep in touch with the local
Centre. The returns of work of the Infant Welfare Centres appear
on pages 71 and 72.
Nursing Services.
The nursing arrangements provided by the Council for the
treatment of maternity cases and infectious diseases arising out
of maternity, and of specified cases of illness in children under
5 years, and also of the diseases enumerated in the Public Health
(Pneumonia, etc.) Regulations, were undertaken as in previous
years by the various Nursing Associations operating in the
Borough.