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43
Maternity and Child Welfare.
Dental Treatment.
The Dental Clinic which was opened with a weekly session
at the Municipal Buildings on 6th March, 1939, has proved a
great success. There has been a progressive increase in the
numbers of expectant and nursing mothers and children attending
for treatment and in September it was decided to hold two additional
sessions each month, on Friday afternoons, for cases
requiring an anaesthetic. Dr. A. C. Nicol was appointed as
anaesthetist for these sessions.
Patients attending the Clinic are required to pay one shilling
each time they attend. This charge covers all treatment found
to be necessary, except the cost of dentures, for which an assessment
is made based on the family income in accordance with a
scale approved by the Council.
During the year 458 patients have received treatment at
the Clinic. This is twice the number treated in the previous
year, when 193 patients attended in the ten months for which
the Clinic was operating.
Supply of Milk.
During the year 867 families were supplied with milk or
special foods under the Milk (Mothers and Children) Order, 1918.
The cost to the Council was £1,561 lis. 8d.
The National Milk Scheme under the control of the Ministry
of Food came into operation in July, 1940, and as a consequence
there has been a reduction in the number of applicants for milk
under the Council's scheme.
Women and children in receipt of milk under the Council's
scheme are expected to attend the Welfare Centres during the
time that the milk is being granted, unless there is some good
reason for their non-attendance. It is quite evident from the
records kept at the Centres that the granting of additional
nourishment under the scheme has brought about improvement
in the health of many of the infants and has enabled many
nursing mothers to prolong the period of lactation.