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Weekly clinics are also held at Westminster Hospital, Charing Cross
Hospital, St. George's Hospital and the General Lying-in Hospital,
Lambeth, for mothers who have made arrangements for their confinements
in these hospitals.

Mothercraft Classes.
Number of mothercraft instruction classes held weekly 6
The increasing demand on the Maternity and Chief Welfare services
was only to be expected from a marked increase in the birth rate.
Convalescent Treatment for Mothers and Children.
The City Council as a Welfare Authority is empowered to provide
convalescent treatment for expectant and nursing mothers and children
under 5 years of age. This work has for some years been undertaken by
the St. Henry Convalescent Fund. Mothers and children requiring
convalescence are recommended by the Maternity and Child Welfare
Centres to the Fund who arrange the convalescence and pay the expenses,
recovering from the family such reasonable contributions as they can
afford to pay, the City Council making a contribution towards the balance
of cost.
During the year some 43 cases were sent away for convalescence in
this way, the City Council contributing fill 5s. towards the cost.
Care of Premature Infants.
The Ministry of Health issued a Circular in March, 1944, on the
subject of the care of premature infants and the problem of neo-natal
mortality. The Minister suggested that a weight at birth of 5£ lbs. or
less should be recorded on the notification of births cards. This was
put into operation in the City.
The City Council in accordance with the Minister's recommendation
also appointed a psedatrician whose services are available for consultant
visits in the home where premature infants are being nurtured. His
services were not called upon during the year. Other recommendations
of the Minister have been observed.
Of the 141 premature births notified in Westminster, 16 were born at
home and 125 in hospital. Of these 8 failed to survive the first 24 hours