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PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE BOROUGH
Maternity and Child Welfare,
The Maternity Home was closed on the outbreak of war,
but otherwise the Maternity and Child Welfare Services were
maintained practically on the pre-war basis.
The Council's Home Help scheme continued to function
and Home Helps were, supplied in cases of confinement to 178
instances at a cost of £820, towards which £140 was
contributed by the applicants.
The Ministry of Food Scheme for the supply of Milk to
Expectant and Nursing Mothers and Children under five years
of age continued in operation and National Dried Milk was
issued from the Centres.
In order that young children should not suffer
because of shortage in their daily intake of Vitamins, the
Ministry of Food, in consultation with the Ministry of Health,
towards the end of the year made available free issues of
Fruit Juices and Cod liver Oil, sufficient to meet the needs
of all children under two years of age. These preparations
were also distributed, from the eleven Maternity and Child
Welfare Centres.
At the request of the Board of Trade arrangements were
made during the year for the distribution of Clothing Coupons
at the Health Centre to enable expectant mothers to purchase
materials for the making of baby garments.
Diphtheria ;Immunisation
In order to assist in the Government campaign, an effort
was made during the year to secure the immunisation of as many
as possible of the children remaining in the Borough. With this
object in view the existing scheme, under which the work was
only undertaken by Medical Practitioners at their, surgeries,
'
was extended. With the approval of the School Medical Officer