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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE CONSULTATIONS.
There are 18 Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, 16 of
which are conducted by the Croydon Mothers' and Infants' Welfare
Association, and 2 by the Local Authority, a total of 22
sessions per week are held and at all of these a doctor and
nurse on the staff of the Health Department attend.
During 1939, 2,703 new cases under 1 year of age, and
1,047 over a year of age attended for the first tine; The total
attendances of infants and young children from 0-5 years decreased
from 88,168 in 1938 to 79,714 in 1939. Consultations
with doctors decreased from 24.548 to 21,511. 51 expectant
mothers were seen, a decrease of 60 on 1938, and a total of 505
visits to the Centres were paid, by them. The total of all
visits to the Centres was 80,219 a decrease of 8,564 compared
with 1938.
The highest average attendance of mothers and babies at
each session was recorded at St. Judes (102.0), Woodside (99.5),
South Croydon (97.3) and St. Andrews (91.3).
For a week after the outbreak of war all the Welfare
Centres were closed. Happily, events showed this was unnecessary
and they were reopened. The evacuation of mothers accounts for
the small decrease in numbers attending.
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