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40
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The staff engaged in maternity and child welfare work consists of an Assistant Medical Officer
for Maternity and Child Welfare, a Superintendent Health Visitor, 12 whole-time Health Visitors,
one of whom a'so acts as Child Protection Visitor and one as Maternity Almoner, 5 part-time Visiting
Medical Officers, 3 part-time Masseuses, and 1 full-time and 1 part-time Clerical Assistant.
Health Visitors .
The duties of these officers are :—
(1) To visit the homes of children from birth up to the age of 5 years where considered necessary.
(2) To make enquiries concerning stillbirths and deaths of infants and young children.
(3) To visit and give advice to parents in cases of ophthalmia of the new-born, infective enteritis
and other important diseases.
(4) To investigate all cases of puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia.
(5) To attend the maternity and infant consultations at the Centres provided by the Paddington
School for Mothers.
The home visiting work performed by the Health Visitors during the year is summarised in the
appended table :—

The total number of children on the Health Visitors' lists at the close of the year was 4,681
Maternity and Child Welfare Centbes.
For many years the need of a more suitable headquarters for the carrying out of the maternity
and child welfare work of the Borough has been apparent, emphasis on the necessity being referred
to by the Minister of Health as a result of his investigations into the services during 1934. The
present premises, 232, Harrow Road, have proved unsuitable and insufficient to cope with the
growth of the staff and work, having been in use since 1910, when the then Paddington Health Society
was divided into two distinct bodies, one to deal with tuberculosis and the other infant welfare.
The latter was the Paddington School for Mothers.
The erection of the new Centre on the site of No. 283a, Harrow Road was commenced, and the
ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed by the Mayoress (Mrs. J. B. P. Karslake)
on the 24th November. It is anticipated that the building will be ready for occupation towards
the middle of 1938.
The existing Centres are provided by the Paddington School for Mothers, which is a voluntary
society financed by voluntary contributions and by grant from the Paddington Borough Council.
To meet the extra expenditure occasioned by increased staff, additional consultations, and a decrease
in income from the Sunday Cinema contribution, the annual grant by the Council was increased
from £500 to £600.
The following is a brief account of the activities of the Paddington School for Mothers :—
Centres (as in December, 1937).
232, Harrow Road, W.2.—Ten rooms and Health Visitors' rest room, all warmed by gas fires.
Two Infant Consultations weekly.—Tuesday and Thursday, 2.15 p.m. Medical Officer, Dr.
E. R. Emslie.
Area served :—Parts of Church, Harrow Road, Westbourne and Maida Vale Wards.