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33
The noting of cases for revisiting on street cards has enabled a larger number
of visits to be paid this year.
Of the 653 children visited for the first time 228 attended Infant Welfare
Centres. Of these 185 attended at the Council's Centre No. 10, John Street,
and 17 at the Mary Ward Settlement Centre; the remainder attended at one of
nine other Centres. It was not possible for 126 to attend at any Centre. Some
two-fifths of the possible number, therefore were under the care of an Infant
Welfare Centre; in 1920 the proportion was one-half. Comparison of the figures
relating to the Holborn and St. Giles Districts shows that the diminution of
attendances occurred especially in regard to babies from the St. Giles district,
and was due in a large part to the unavoidable closure of the Short's Gardens
Centre.
WORK AT CENTRES.
In addition to the maintenance of the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare
Centre at 10, John Street, the grant towards the Mary Ward Voluntary Centre
formerly called the Passmore Edwards Settlement School for Mothers (used
jointly with South St. Pancras) was continued during the year.
Unfortunately we were not able to make any suitable arrangements to reestablish
a Centre in place of the Short s Gardens Centre (which had, unfortunately,
to be closed in 1920, owing to the premises being required for other purposes)
so that mothers living in the St. Giles District could attend at a Centre near to their
homes.
Much effort has been expended on the teaching of mothers attending the
Centre. Talks on the various branches of mothercraft have been given weekly
throughout the year; they have often been based on the various leaflets drawn
up by the Medical Officer of Health on, Breast Feeding; Bottle Feeding;
Feeding of Children 9 months old to 7 years; The Care of the Teeth; How to
prevent Epidemic Diarrhœa; Whooping Cough; Advice to Expectant Mothers.
The talks are made as topical as possible; the third quarter of the year the
Health Visitor dealt with epidemic diarrhœa; later a needlework class was
started, affording the mothers the opportunity of learning the most suitable
patterns and materials for their children's garments.
Pictures and mottos dealing with health are displayed on the walls of the
rooms and changed from time to time; opportunities are taken to speak to the
mothers individually on health matters.
In February Mr. Gray the Clinic Dentist gave an address on the need for
care of the teeth.