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rather above that for 1919; and as the Nursery is costing the
Borough over £400 a year, the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
considered as to whether it should not be closed, seeing that
this was judged to be possible without inflicting any material
hardship on more than 9 or 10 mothers.
During 1920 the Day Nursery was open upon 237 days, and in all
there were 5,020 attendances of children, as compared with 4,770
during the preceding year. The average number of children in
daily attendance when the Nursery was open during the year 1920
was therefore 21.
Altogether the Day Nursery was closed for 18 out of a total of
255 working days. On two occasions a short closure was necessitated
by the introduction of the infection of Measles.
THE MILK (MOTHERS AND CHILDREN) ORDER, 1918.
In the early part of the year it was decided by the Committee
that any cost in this connection should be incurred only in respect
to families whose income does not exceed 10s. per head, but that
where there are only one or two children in the family the rent paid
should first be deducted in arriving at the amount of income per head.
Under the Order we have been able to help necessitous mothers
and their children, with raw or dried milk, either free or half-price.
The number of cases helped was 234. Not all were originally Centre
cases, but all become so on milk being allowed them. This part of
the work is entirely carried out by the Chief Health Visitor, who
reports monthly on cases to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee,
and uses a scale laid down by them. The amount expended
during the year was £453 4s. 3½d., this amount being larger than was
anticipated on account of the prevailing distress due to unemployment.
THE DISINFECTING AND CLEANSING STATION.
During the year ending December 31st, 1920, the following
disinfecting and cleansing work was performed at the station:—