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62
The Society was supported by the Council, and assisted the Health
Department by distributing pamphlets in the poorer homes.
This then was the modest beginning to the extensive maternity
and child welfare services that have developed since in the Borough.
In 1907 the Medical Officer of Health commented upon the creches
that were established in the Borough by philanthropic people. The
background to these establishments was that working women found it
difficult to place their young children under suitable protection whilst
away at work. Children were handed over to neighbours, who having
many children of their own could only offer indifferent attention to their
temporary visitors. The existence of a number of creches helped to
ameliorate these conditions, and an example of such an establishment
was the one known as the Forest Hill Day Nursery, in Beadnell Road.
The number of attendances at this nursery in 1907 was 6,832. The
nursery opened daily from 7.45 a.m. to 8 p.m., and children between
the ages of one month and three years were received at a charge of 4d
per day tor each child, and 6d per day for two children from one family.
As a comment on the value of this home it is stated that "at times during
the year children who were doing well have been unavoidably kept from
the nursery owing to the inability of the parents, through lack of work,
to find the necessary fees. On the return of some of these children they
were found to be pale and thin for want of the good food so necessary
for their well-being and which they had previously enjoyed". Further,
the Medical Officer of Health said that "I feel confident that the good
work carried out by the above-mentioned institutions has been of
considerable help, not only to young infants, but in educating mothers
who have come under their influence".
Towards the end of 1909 the Council adopted the Notification of
Births Act, 1907 which placed a duty upon the father of the child, and of
any person in attendance upon the mother to notify within 6 hours of
the birth of the child, the Medical Officer of Health of the fact. At the
same time the Medical Officer of Health recommended to the Council
that women health visitors should be appointed to carry out the work
which would devolve upon the department under the Act. During 1910
the first full year of the operation of the Notification of Births Act in the
Borough, some 3388 notifications were received, and the woman
sanitary inspector made 1601 visits to selected homes where it was
thought that such visits would be of advantage.
In 1914 the first woman health visitor was appointed by the Council,
and the following is a summary of her visits during 1915, her first full
vear working in the Boroueh: