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cost to the Council of £1,845 18s. 5d., half of which sum is repayable by the Ministry of
Health. This figure does not include the cost of administration.
Cases are investigated by Mr. H. G. "West, if there is any doubt as to the circumstances
of the family. On June 28th, as a result of one such investigation, proceedings were taken
against E. J. Mostyn for obtaining milk under false pretences. At Clerkenwell Police Court
he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour.
Dinners for Necessitous Expectant Mothers.—This work is organised by a
voluntary committee, the Council contributing an annual grant of £50. The dinners are
provided at a restaurant in Prince of Wales Crescent, Kentish Town, a special room being
set apart for the purpose. The mothers attending are recommended by the staff of the
various welfare centres, who are cognisant of their circumstances and needs.
During the year 4,539 dinners, consisting of meat, vegetables, and pudding, were
supplied. The quality of the food is good, and the general arrangements are fairly
satisfactory.
Home for Sick Poor Children.—The Council makes an annual grant of £500
towards the Mayoress of St. Pancras Home for Sick Poor Children. The Home is situated at
"Avalon," 1, St. Alban's Road, N.W. 5, and accommodates 18 children. The cases admitted
are either convalescent after illness, or are weakly, badly nourished children needing feeding
and special care. At the beginning of the year 16 children were in residence. During the
year 83 were admitted, and 9 were in residence at the end of the year. 90 were discharged
during the year, after an average stay in the Home of 43| days. Of the 90 cases discharged,
21 were in good health, 51 were much improved, 11 showed no marked improvement; but
some of these were sent home in May and June (owing to an epidemic of whooping cough)
without having had an adequate chance of improvement.
The conditions for which the children were admitted were as follow:—
Debility and anæmia 24
Rickets 10
Tardy development 8
Various nutritional disorders 4
Other causes 5
Convalescence after—
Pneumonia and bronchitis 15
Measles and whooping cough 5
After operations 9
Other conditions 3
Total 83
Day Nurseries.—The Council assists the three approved day nurseries in the
Borough by the payment of one-quarter of the net expenditure, as approved by the Ministry
of Health (after the deduction of the payments made by the mothers). The effect of this is
that the expense is shared, as to one-half by the Ministry, one quarter by the Council, and
one quarter by voluntary funds. The three institutions are the Whitetield Day Nursery,
53, Whitfield Street, W. 1; the Kentish Town Day Nursery, Gospel Oak Grove, N.W. 5;
and the Margaret Day Nursery, 44, Ampthill Square, N.W. 1.