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In 1919, the appointment of a third Health Visitor is
recorded, and the number of weekly sessions held had increased
to three.
During the year, 168 mothers were helped by the supply of
raw and dried milk at half price or free, to enable infants to
be kept at the breast who otherwise would have been bottle fed.
In January 1919, an ante natal clinic was started, meeting
one afternoon a week, and the total number of mothers who attended
during the year was 66 and their visits totalled 110.
Another new departure was an allowance of milk to selected
mothers during the latter three months of pregnancy.
In 1920, a second maternity and child welfare centre was
opened at Barton House.
Arrangements were also made to pay one half of the fees
incurred by women who were in need of special maternity treatment
sent to the Home Hospital for Women, and contributions were
also paid towards the expenses of maintenance of Stoke Newington
women in the Mothers' Maternity Hospital of the Salvation Army.
In 1926, after several years pressure by Professor Kenwood,
the Council approved an arrangement with the British Dental
Hospital to equip and maintain a dental surgery at Barton House
for one session per week in connection with maternity and child
welfare work.
In April 1927, Professor Kenwood retired from his post as
part-time Medical Officer of Health, after a long and distinguished
period of service, first to the Parish of Stoke Newington and then
to the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington from its formation
in 1900. He, however, retained his post as public analyst.
Dr. C. T. Maitland succeeded Professor Kenwood in 1927 for
one year, and it was during his year of office that diphtheria
immunisation was started in the borough. It is interesting to
note that in this year, 106 cases of diphtheria resulting in 5
deaths, were notified in the borough, and that 20 years later
as the result of the intensification of this campaign, there
were no confirmed cases of diphtheria in the borough.