View report page

96
appear at the same moment, and the restaurant staff is hard
worked. Slices of plain cake might be added to the menu to
be given to the older children as they leave the premises.
Occasionally ladies in the district come to supervise the
meals, and this is a great advantage as regards the manners of
the children and the speed with which the meal is served.
It would be of great service if voluntary helpers could
arrange to attend regularly on definite days in the week.
Only one helper each day would be required at a Centre, as
accommodation is limited. Two ladies already help at the
South Acton Centre on two days a week, and four others
would be most welcome at this restaurant as the keepers are
glad of the refining influence on the children.
The Dinner Centres have been visited on various occasions
to observe the condition of the children, and those who
appeared specially undernourished were medically examined
on a later occasion. In one case a child had been receiving
dinners for several months but did not show much improvement
in nutrition. On examination no signs of phthisis could
be detected, but the child was obviously delicate and there
was a history of consumption in the family. As this seemed
an instance where "prevention was better than cure" arrangements
are being made to give this child convalescent treatment
either at the seaside or in the country.
During the year 1909, 22,762 dinners have been supplied
to 448 children at a total cost of £189 13s. 8d.
Infectious Diseases.
The distribution of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria in the
district will be found on No. 3 of the Local Government Board
Tables.