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375
A second Maternity and Child Welfare Centre was opened at
the beginning of September, at Barton House, Albion Road. At
this Centre the Ante-Natal Clinic is held.
"Baby Week" was duly celebrated. The Maternity and Child
Welfare Centre and Day Nursery were open for visitation by the
general public; a most successful Entertainment was provided for
mothers and children, at which, in addition to an amusement programme
and refreshments, certificates of merit were awarded to
mothers by Mr. and Mrs. Pett-Ridge. A well-attended Public
Lecture was also given on the subject of "Flies in Relation to
Health and Disease."
In addition to agreeing to pay, where necessary, one-half of the
fees incurred by women who are in need of special maternity treatment
and who are therefore sent to the Home Hospital for Women,
High Street, Stoke Newington, contributions were also paid
towards the expenses of maintenance of Stoke Newington women
in the Mothers' Maternity Hospital of the Salvation Army, in
Hackney.
Although the Committee fully considered the subject of "Home
Helps," no definite decision was arrived at upon this very difficult
matter.
It is interesting to note that, while the rate of infantile mortality
for all the children born in Stoke Newington during 1920 was 80.1,
the rate for those attending the Centres did not exceed 30.
Dr. J. S. New, who is in medical charge of the Child Welfare
Clinics, makes the following statement with reference to the work
during 1920: "I have been much impressed with the gradual and
steady reduction in the number of those cases requiring immediate
reference to Hospital. My explanation is the developing intelligent
concern among the mothers who come to the Centres. I find this to
be more in evidence in Stoke Newington than in another Metropolitan
Borough in which I render similar services. There can be no
doubt that in my experience fewer hospital conditions arise at the
present day than was formerly the case. It is a remarkable fact that
if I exclude a case which moved into the Borough, we have not had a
single case of acute rickets for a long period.