View report page

12
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
Six hundred and forty-one notifications of births, including 28 still births, made in
accordance with the requirements of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, were received.
Of these, 50 only referred to City births, and the balance were transferred to the appropriate
authorities. There was 1 still birth to City parents.
Fifty initial visits were made as a consequence of these notifications, and 1,357 subsequent
visits in connection with infant welfare and ante-natal work.
Four visits were necessary in connection with cases which came within the scope of
the Children Act, 1908, or in respect of a nurse child.
Supplies of milk (2,831 galls.) and 315 lbs. of dried milk, at cost price or free, according
to circumstances, have been provided, according to the practice which has been in operation
for some years. Cod Liver Oil is also given if its administration appears to be desirable.
Two home helps were provided during 1938.
There were no notifications of verminous school children under the London County
Council (General Powers) Act, 1904.
There were two cases of Ophthalmia, both of which recovered.
The lying-in accommodation provided by the City Corporation at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1929, was not
utilized during 1938.
/THE CITY OF LONDON WELFARE CENTRE. HELD AT ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL.
The City of London Infant Welfare Centre continued actively during 1938. Two sessions
are held weekly at 2.30 p.m., on Wednesdays and Thursdays. There were 100 sessions
held of the Welfare Centre, 12 special sessions for the immunisation of children against
diphtheria, and 5 for Schick tests. One thousand three hundred and fifty-seven home
visits were paid by the Health Visitors. It will be seen that, with an annual birth registration
of about 50, this activity effectively covers the babies and young children living in the
City and provides a satisfactory health service. I hope, however, to develop an ante- and
post-natal service at no distant date.
An agreement has been entered into with the Governors of St. Bartholomew's Hospital
which will provide, as from the 1st April, 1939, convalescent home accommodation at the
Zachery Merton Convalescent Home, at Rustington, Sussex, for such of the City mothers
and their babies as the Medical Officer in charge of the Infant Welfare Clinic thinks need
it and whose financial condition justifies the provision.
During this year the immunisation of children against diphtheria has continued. Altogether,
40 have been immunised in 1938, which may be counted a very satisfactory figure.
It has proved necessary to hold special sessions for purposes of immunisation and for Schick
testing; the technique cannot be satisfactorily carried out and the cases properly supervised
at the regular sessions without causing much waiting and delay for the mothers normally
attending.
The opportunity is taken to impress on mothers the importance of suitable diet both
for themselves and their babies.
It has been possible to arrange that toddlers attending the Centre receive dental treatment
at Eastman's Dental Clinic, in Gray's Inn Road.
Sunlight treatment, when recommended by the Medical Officer in charge of the clinic,
is available through the kind offices of the Skin Department of St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
Both these arrangements are informal, and the assistance rendered by the two institutions
in question is gratefully acknowledged.
Through the kind offices of the Lady Almoner at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, four of
the children attending the Infant Welfare Clinic and three mothers were accommodated in
the Convalescent Home.