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24
The Victoria Hall Trustees again made a grant
of £5 to provide a few necessitous nursing mothers
with an allowance of milk for a short time. Mrs.
Dunnett, M.R., of the Ealing Health Society, also
allowed a few mothers a pint of milk daily for varying
periods.
The babies visited were found on the whole to be
in a healthy condition, and it was necessary only in
seventy-seven cases to advise that the child should be
taken to the doctor.
Twenty-three mothers owned to giving boiled
bread, biscuits, etc., but this improper way of feeding
is less prevalent, and the mothers seem to be more
intelligent and sensible in the care and management
of their children.
I am sorry to report that I found eighty-two
fathers out of work, and twenty-nine doing odd work.
These cases are unsatisfactory, because often for long
periods the family is on the verge of starvation, and
when the father does find work, it is quite a long time
before they derive any appreciable benefit from his
earnings, owing to the fact that " back debts " have
to be paid off; in these cases very often the mothers
go to work, and this, of course, deprives the family
of her care in the cooking, etc.
In January last, 1913, Mrs. Dunnett, M.B., very
kindlv entertained about fifty mothers, whom I invited
to tea in the Mission Hall, Northfields Avenue; each
baby was weighed and examined, and on several occasions
during the year mothers have attended at the
Town Hall to have their babies weighed, etc. The
Medical Officer of Health has very kindly seen the
mothers, and spoken to them individually with reference
to their babies.
In connection with the workshop inspections, I
have reported forty-nine defects. Generally, the
places were found to be in a satisfactory condition.