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The Council during 1938 acquired a site in Camberwell Road for the purpose
of building thereon a Health Centre. Among the services to be provided were an
Infant Welfare Centre, a special clinic for women (Gynaecological), the treatment
of minor ailments in children under five years of age including sunlight and massage
treatment, dental, child guidance, and breast feeding clinics, a health exhibition
and lecture room, a day nursery and departments for bacteriological and chemical
examination of specimens.
In the following year further progress was made and plans of the building
were under consideration, when unfortunately, war was declared and the scheme
was abandoned.
At the time of the outbreak of war the Maternity and Child Welfare arrangements
as they existed at that time for the care of expectant and nursing mothers
and children under five years of age not attending school were:—
1. Maternity.
(a) Medical examination and supervision of pregnant women, and following
confinement, at ante-natal and post-natal Clinics held at an Infant
Welfare Centre and at the L.C.C. St. Giles' and Dulwich Hospitals.
(b) The services of a Consultant at the request of a private practitioner
for any condition arising during pregnancy, parturition or during the
puerperium of patients confined at home.
(c) Home visits by Health Visitors to pregnant women.
(d) Payment of compensation to midwives for loss of patients.
(e) Provision of sterilised maternity outfits.
(f) Dental treatment including the provision of dentures.
(g) Provision of Home Helps.
(h) Provision of home nursing assistance.
(i) Convalescent home treatment for expectant and nursing mothers.
(j) Provision of milk and dinners for necessitous mothers.
(k) Education in health matters.
(l) Investigation of maternal deaths and cases of puerperal fever and
puerperal pyrexia.
(m) Financial assistance towards the cost of institutional maintenance of
unmarried mothers.
2. Infants and Young Children.
(a) Public Health (London) Act, 1936, Notification of Birth administration.
(b) The provision and maintenance of Infant Welfare Centres.
(c) Home visits by Health Visitors.
(d) Convalescent home treatment.
(e) The supply of milk to children of necessitous parents.
(f) Provision of home nursing services.
(g) Minor ailments treatment.
(h) Sunlight and massage treatment.
(i) Child Life Protection.