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Voluntary Visitors.—During this year, as previously, a number of "Voluntary
Visitors have usefully supplemented the work of the Public Health Department
as regards Infant-visiting and the clerical work, consequent upon it.
For part of the year Miss Neville and Miss Stewart again kindly arranged
for some of their workers to pay Infant-visits for us, each week; and in
addition, other ladies, fully qualified to be Sanitary Inspectors, or with
nursing and midwifery qualifications, (viz.: Miss Anderson, Mrs. Brand, Miss
Broderick, Miss Herskind, Miss Hartland, Miss Johnson, Miss McCleverty,
Miss Moor, Miss Newcomb, Miss Ryan, Miss Stevens, and Miss Wetherell),
have attended during the different parts of the year at the Town Hall, one or
more days each week, and after the requisite instruction and supervision have
done the visiting and clerical work allotted to them in a very satisfactory
manner.
Some who applied to come, but who were not sufficiently qualified, or, who
for other reasons did not seem suitable, were not accepted.
Though there are certain distinct advantages in getting the additional help
of these qualified voluntary workers, varying in their experience, age and
qualifications, yet much of my own time and energy has necessarily to be
devoted to the securing, instructing and supervising of these helpers, who,
after having been trained in St. Pancras methods, are generally successful in
getting salaried posts, when new voluntary workers requiring fresh training
take their place.
Mode of Visiting.—As before, I would like again to urge strongly that it
has always been my object to ensure that the visits to the Mothers and Infants
should not be hurried ones, and merely involving a long series of questions,
but that they should be made in a leisurely, tactful and sympathetic manner,
so that subsequent visits shall be welcomed.
It is well to specially emphasize this point, lest one may be tempted to aim
at paying too large a number of visits perfunctorily, having in view quantity,
rather than quality, as unfortunately there is an inclination sometimes to
judge the work done by high numbers rather than by good results.
Number of Births, Visits, Advice Cards, &c.
Total Births registered (majority within 2 months) 5484
Births on Midwives' List (majority within 2-4 weeks) 1034
Advice Cards sent after, and previous to, Births 6000
Number of Visits paid:— 2934
Actual number of Infants visited 1855
Additional visits to Infants*1079
*of these Infants " not known '' at address given 100
Infants " removed " from address given 105
Extra visits made by myself to Hospitals, Doctors, Midwives,
Nurses, Creches, Maternity Missions, Almoners, Relieving
Officers, Workhouse, Infirmary, Employment Exchange,
Office of Distress Committee, " School for Mothers," Charity
Organization Society, Dairy-shops, Chemists, &c., &c. *249
* This number would have been considerably higher, if it could have included all
the " visits " which had perforce, for press of time, to be replaced by letters and
appointments here at the Town Hall.