View report page

Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
67
Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
There are now eight Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough.
Each Centre has a medical officer and a trained Superintendent ;
but all the work connected with the keeping of records, the purchase
and sale of food and drugs, and of clothing, is done by voluntary
workers, who are most regular and efficient.
Infants and children up to five years of age are admitted. They
are weighed at every attendance, seen by the doctor when necessary,
and reports concerning their progress are recorded. The superintendent
visits the homes of the children to see that the doctor's
instructions are carried out. No visiting by untrained workers is,
allowed.
In Putney an Ante-natal Centre was started in January, and
now each Centre, with the exception of Fairfield, has a separate
session for ante-natal work; from Fairfield the mothers go to the
Springfield Ante-natal Clinic in Earlsfield Road.
The next Table summarises the work done at all the Centres.
There were 2,340 new cases registered during the year, the
total number of attendances was 34,969, 79 were transferred to
other Centres, 1,036 were passed on to the London County Council,
and 84 died.
The total number of ante-natal cases on the registers during
1922 was 653, the attendances numbering 1,631.
The superintendents' visits to infants totalled 10,793, and to
ante-natal cases 1,166. 294 health talks were given.
In Clapham needlework classes were held at each session of the
ante-natal clinic throughout the year, and of the Infant Clinic
for nine months.
In Putney a course of 12 lectures on Hygiene were given in
the spring, and in the autumn a course of 12 needlework classes
were held.
In Streatham needlework classes are held on alternate Wednesdays.
In Tooting needlework classes are held at every ante-natal
session,
(9323)q F 2