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No alteration in the staffing of the existing Centres was made during
the year. Dr. G. M. Archer has undertaken the duties of Consultant
at the new Centre at Old Coulsdon,
The Provision of Milk and Specialist Treatment.
During the year 89 cases in which the parents were known to be in
necessitous circumstances and the children in need of milk, were provided
with a supply of milk, delivered to their homes, free or at a reduced
price, the expense being borne by the Council. This was a decrease
of 1 case on 1936.
Whilst throughout the District the children are, generally speaking,
well nourished, and in many cases above the average development,
there are in attendance at each Centre children who bear witness to the
impoverished condition of their homes. In the majority of these cases
the child has shown great improvement as the result of this provision
of extra nourishment. A few cases, however, have shown that the
provision of milk is not the only need.
During the year 21 cases were referred to hospitals from the Centres,
15 being from Brighton Road Centre. Of these, 18 were referred to Purley
Hospital for minor operations (16), Ultra Violet Ray treatment (1),
or massage (1); while 3 attended Croydon General Hospital, in 2 cases
for orthopaedic treatment and one for the treatment of nævi.
A number of cases were also referred to their own doctors for treatment.
These numbers remain low, however, thanks to the appreciation
of the fact that the Child Welfare Centres are not for the treatment of
the sick, but for periodical examination and observation of the apparently
healthy child in order to detect any minor defects, or detrimental tendencies
and for instruction on how to rear children along sound lines.
While the agreement with the Croydon General Hospital for the
treatment of cases suffering from, or liable to develop, deafness, has
remained in force, no cases have had to be referred for such treatment
for the third year in succession. This would appear to be due to the
securing of prompt and efficient treatment in the early stages through
the family doctor or other agency.
The scheme for the dental treatment of ante-natal and nursing
mothers and children under 5 years of age, which was launched in 1934,
again increased both in efficiency and popularity.
During the year 69 cases were treated by those Dental Surgeons
in the District who had signified their willingness to serve under the
scheme, as compared with 45 and 33 in the preceding years.
While the scheme remains slightly ponderous and rather more
expensive for the individual than could be desired, treatment is now
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