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16
" The diet in cases of children over one year is fully
discussed. Early training in good habits and in the avoidance
of bad ones such as use of a dummy and thumb sucking,
prolonged bottle and breast feeding, sniffing, mouth breathing,
&c., are of great importance, and if the mother attends
regularly most of these points can be dealt with as occasion
arises.
" Where there is any disturbance in health, or where any
physical defect is found, the mother is advised, but only if
the illness is of the mildest and capable of being nursed at
home is treatment given, as it is attempted to keep the general
atmosphere of the Centre associated with healthy children and
education of the mother. If the disturbance of health is
grave, the mother is advised to seek advice from the proper
source, e.g., family doctor, Dispensary or Hospital.
"My general impression has been that during the year
there has been an increased number of cases of mild rickets,
but there were about three or four cases of very severe rickets.
All these cases occurred among children who had not attended
the Centre for many months, and who were seldom taken out.
"I feel sure, however, that the general standard of
hygiene is improving. Many babies do not have separate cots,
but when this is recommended most mothers manage to
provide one.
"The children, especially the babies, are kept indoors far
too much, but I think this is due to the difficulty of getting
them out. If balconies could be provided, the mothers would
perhaps make use of them. The difficulty of keeping perambulators
is also a serious handicap.
"Adequate rest, especially for children over one year, is
not always provided ; it is almost impossible when the whole
family live in one room.
"There is a great improvement in the standard of clothing.
Far fewer stiff binders are seen, and not very many
flannel ones.
"It is a great pity that more mothers cannot make their
own baby clothes ; the ready-made usually consist of flannelette
and cotton, whereas the home-made one is always made of
flannel, or is knitted.
" The teaching by the mother of regular habits during
the first year has also greatly increased, but the use of the
ever popular dummy is still very prevalent. It is curious how
the mother believes it doesn't matter so long as the doctor
doesn't see it. The badly shaped, under-developed jaws of the
dummy-sucker are very common, but mothers are often
persuaded to discontinue the use of this harmful practice.