View report page

40
CONVALESCENT HOMES.
The Council, under their Maternity and Child Welfare scheme, provide convalescent home
treatment for mothers with babies under the age of six months. The following table shows the
institutions to which mothers and infants were sent during 1930, together with the number of
cases admitted. Each mother and baby stays in the home for a period of fourteen days.
St. Mary's Convalescent Home, Birchington-on-Sea, Kent.
No. of mothers admitted with babies 3
No. of mothers admitted without babies 1
Evelyn Convalescent Cottage Home, Wargrave, Berkshire.
No. of mothers admitted with babies 6
No. of mothers admitted without babies 7
Hambledon Cottage Home, Surrey.
No. of mothers admitted with babies 3
No. of mothers admitted without babies 2
George Whitlaw Convalescent Home, Taplow, Bucks.
No. of mothers admitted with babies 12
No. of mothers admitted without babies 3
The St. Mary's Convalescent Home is open for the reception of patients throughout the year,
but the Evelyn, Hambledon, and George Whitlaw Homes are closed during the Winter months.
The total cost to the Council for convalescent treatment during the year was £69 14s. 0d.
HEALTH LECTURER.
School medical inspections and maternity and child welfare work have revealed that large
numbers of children are suffering from preventable ailments and defects which are likely to impair
their development, and which are in a large degree attributable to insufficient knowledge of the
simple rules of health on the part of the mothers.
In 1926 the Council appointed a qualified health lecturer to organise and conduct a continuous
educational campaign in public and personal hygiene amongst those members of the community
who most need enlightenment in the interests of themselves, their families, and those with whom
they come in contact. The officer appointed is now lecturing at infant welfare centres on consultation
days, at ante-natal clinics, women's and girls' clubs, etc.
The Kensington Borough Council were the first local authority to appoint a municipal health
lecturer. Her work is thoroughly appreciated by the committees of the welfare institutions and other
bodies, and the number of applications for her services shows that she fills an important place in the
public health service.
The promotion of knowledge of hygiene amongst the poor will give better and more ???asting
results than can be obtained in an endeavour to force the public to observe Acts of Parliament on
simple health which they may not fully comprehend.