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(e) Sick Nursery.
Throughout the year the 4 beds provided at 228, London Road,
were used as a sick nursery for children suffering from nutritional
disorder.
At the beginning of 1926 the extended Sick Nursery premises,
consisting of 12 cots, 1 observation cubicle, and a ward of two beds
for nursing mothers, forming the first floor of the Clinic building
erected in Lodge Road by the Corporation, came into use, to the
great advantage of these sick children.
Four children were in the Sick Nursery on the 1st January,
1925, and 57 children were admitted during the year; 61 were discharged.
The average stay was 22.3 days.
(f) Foster Children.
Numbers of foster children are brought to the ordinary
sessions of the various Infant Welfare Centres. In addition,
special clinics for foster children were held once a quarter, at
which there were 12 attendances by foster children under 1 and
79 by those between 1 and 5 years of age.
(g) Massage Clinic.
The massage clinic for children under the age of 5 years was
continued at the clinic premises at 228, London Road for three
afternoon sessions each week, for the treatment of children suffering
from infantile paralysis, various types of muscular weakness,
and debility after rickets or after one or other of the acute illnesses
to which young children are exposed.
1306 attendances were made by 72 cases at the massage clinic
during the year.
(h) Provision of Milk and Foodstuffs.
The Council is responsible for the issue of fresh milk at all
infant Welfare Centres, whether voluntary or municipal, and for
the issue of dried milk and other preparations at the municipal
centre. The Croydon Mothers' and Infants' Welfare Association
arranges for the provision of dried milk, etc., at the voluntary
centres, and also provide mid-day meals for necessitous expectant
and nursing mothers, on the recommendation of the medical
officers.