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of whooping cough. As regards tuberculosis the number of notifications is the
lowest yet recorded, but the death rate has risen chiefly because of the catarrhal
conditions, which also contributed to the generally higher death rate.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
In this section will be found notes by the medical officers of the clinics based on
their observations at the Council's three centres. Throughout the year little or no
evidence of malnutrition seems to have come to their notice. In addition to an
increased consumption under the Council's assisted milk scheme, cod liver oil and
other accessories to diet are also provided free of cost, or at reduced price, according
to circumstances. Instruction in dietetics, cookery and marketing, has been a
regular feature of the work at the welfare centres throughout the year. At the
classes, which are held weekly, the mothers themselves are encouraged to take
part in cooking the various dishes. From the notes supplied by the Superintendents
of the centres, it would seem that these food and cooking classes are greatly appreciated
by the mothers and are exercising a beneficial influence on the dietaries of
the welfare centre families.
The Minister of Health desires, and everyone will agree with him, that the fullest
use should be made of these and other health services by those for whom they are
intended. As regards the Council's centres, 726 (or 68 per cent.) of the infants
born to Westminster parents attended the clinics during 1936, while 75.7 per cent.
of the mothers attended the centres before and after the birth of their children.
In a central area such as Westminster the population must to a considerable extent
be a shifting one, yet there are many mothers who were themselves "welfare centre"
children. Maternity and Child Welfare, through the Westminster Health Society,
has been actively proceeding in the City since Edwardian days and the Council itself
began conducting its own centres almost twenty years ago. A tradition of attendance
at the welfare centres is being handed on from mother to daughter and has become
firmly established as a family habit. For example, at Ebury Bridge, the earliest of
the Council's centres, a large proportion of the mothers now attending were themselves
tak n as infants regularly between 1910 and 1917 to the welfare centre in the
old building now replaced by the modern welfare centre on the same site.
Steps are being taken to follow up the Minister's wish for improved care and
welfare of the child under school age. An additional health visitor has been
appointed, for the present on a temporary basis, and arrangements are being made
with certain of the voluntary hospitals and school treatment centres for better
facilities for the treatment of physical defects and minor ailments occurring among
these " toddlers." It is also intended to establish a consultation centre at one of
the hospitals where special cases may be sent for investigation.
Maternal Mortality.
One woman died as a result of abortion. She did not live in Westminster and
had not done so for a number of years, but at the hospital in an outlying district
where she died she gave the address of her parents' home in Westminster. She had
no other home. There were no cases of puerperal sepsis. With the provisions of
the new Midwives Act, shortly coming into force, it should be remembered that the
Council's midwifery scheme in conjunction with Westminster Hospital continues
to meet all the midwifery needs of the City adequately.