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24
On behalf of the Local Government Board, Dr. Janet E. LaneClaypon,
Medical Inspector, interviewed the Medical Officer of Health
and stated that the circular letter of the Local Government Board, dated
30th July, extracts from which appear in the Medical Officer of Health's
Report, had been prepared quite apart from the War ; it was only
a coincidence that the circular letter had been issued at the time of
hostilities. The object of the circular is to deal, as far as possible, with
all ante-natal cases and to follow them up to school age.
It will be seen by the circular letter of the Local Government Board
that an estimate has been laid before Parliament for a grant to be distributed
by the Board in aid of the expenditure of local authorities and
voluntary agencies in respect of institutions or other provisions for
maternity and child welfare. Dr. Janet Lane-Claypon informed the
Medical Officer of Health that the first instalment of this grant, for the
six months ending 30th September, 1914, is now available. It is clear
that this scheme was prepared before the War, and that the grant is not
for necessitous maternity cases, and it is not for purposes of material
benefit (for example, food), but it is in aid of expenditure in connection
with clinics, dispensaries, or other institutions primarily concerned with
the provision of medical and surgical advice or treatment (which includes
the supply of cod liver oil, malt, drugs and very special infants' food for
a brief period) as well as in respect of the salaries of the health visitors and
other officers connected with this work. Therefore, it appears that the
Poplar Borough Council will be entitled to receive, upon application,
which should be made at once, a grant from the Local Government Board ;
and it also appears that the Poplar Infant Care Association is entitled
to apply for a separate grant. So far as the Poplar Borough Council is
concerned the grant from the Local Government Board would help to
cover the salaries of the health visitors and any expenses legitimately
in connection with the health visiting work of the Public Health Department
in pre-natal and post-natal cases as regards maternity or child
welfare.
No contribution has been received from the London County Council
towards the salaries of the health visitors of the Poplar Borough Council.
With regard to the Poplar Infant Care Association, application for
the grant mentioned above can be made either direct or through the
Poplar Borough Council. The Medical Officer of Health understood from
Dr. Janet Claypon that when the application is made she would be pleased
to meet the Heads of the Association, and it would appear from the work
which is being carried out by the Association that they are entitled to the
grant.