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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
As is well known, the Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme now in existence
contains voluntary and official elements. Of the voluntary elements, to the nature
of which reference is made later, those for which the St. Marylebone Health
Society is responsible bulk largest, and the Council and the inhabitants of the
Borough are greatly indebted to this body and those who work for it for what
they have done and what they are doing in relation to maternity and child welfare.
Apart from the Health Society, however, there are other bodies that assist,
and that are more or less definitely linked up to the main scheme, the connecting
link being the Public Health Department of the Council. Amongst these bodies
may be mentioned Queen Charlotte's Hospital and Middlesex Hospital, which in
addition to providing lying-in accommodation, arrange for attention to be given
to out-door patients as well, and conduct ante-natal clinics and infant consultations.
At the Western General Dispensary the special clinic for children under Dr.
Bernard Myers does most useful work. Less definitely part of the scheme, but
still doing very valuable work and helping whenever possible, are St. Agatha's
Home, The Home of the Little Company of Mary, and The Home of the St.
Marylebone Female Protection Society, where unmarried mothers particularly are
provided for, both before and after the birth of their child.
The following summaries give a number of details with regard to the arrangements
under the scheme and of the extent of the work done during 1924. It will
be noted that at the end of the year there were available nine centres where
attention was given to infant and child welfare, and if those at the hospitals are
included four ante-natal clinics. At some of the centres consultations are held
every day, sometimes twice a day. In addition to the ordinary infant and young
child (" toddlers ") consultations, there is a dental clinic for mothers and young
children, open on four days, for two of which the Health Society is responsible.
By arrangement with the London County Council the dental clinic is used also
by school children, and in conjunction with this there is also a minor ailment treat,
ment centre for school children
The summary referred to above is based upon a return formerly called for by
the Local Government Board and is given here because it is convenient as showing
the elements in the scheme.