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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE
This service deals with the ante-natal care of expectant
mothers and the supervision of nursing mothers and of the children
up to the age of five years.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
The 1,089 entries in the Birth Register during the calendar
year included 222 inward transfers and 157 outward transfers,
leaving a total of 932 entries, less 35 stillbirths; or 897 infants
belonging to Beckenham. The Registrar General gives a figure of
891 calculated over a slightly different period.
ANTE-NATAL WORK.
In 332 of the 710 births in and belonging to the area, the
services of a private medical practitioner were engaged, and the
remaining 378 were attended by Midwives. It is for these latter
cases that examination and supervision at the Ante-Natal Clinics
is intended, and 243 of these were examined at the Clinics.
All assessments for the Maternity Home are made through
the Office, and a visiting card is made out so that advice can be
given by the Health Visitors; this work necessitated 269 visits
during 1938.
ANTE-NATAL PANEL.
The Scheme approved by the Council whereby the ante-natal
examination of expectant mothers would be conducted by medical
practitioners practising in the district, continued in operation
during the year, and the total attendances were 528 compared with
506 in 1937.
The panel contains the names of 32 Doctors practising in the
District.
During the year the following work was done under the
scheme :—
Sessions held 75
Number of expectant mothers attending for
examination 243
Number of attendances made 528
Number of Doctors attending 32
The arrangements worked smoothly and the appointments
were well kept by both doctors and patients. In 8 cases X-Ray
examinations were carried out at a local hospital to assist in
diagnoses.
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