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15
The Council will be aware that a few years ago it was decided
to invite mothers, who had been attended by our Midwives, to come
to special Post-Natal Clinics for examination about six weeks after
the birth of their child. This was an innovation ; an idea new to
Enfield women and we anticipated that it would take some while
for them to appreciate its value. It is well known to medical experts
that many diseases in later life and much suffering can be avoided
if women will undergo this examination to secure that a full recovery
to normality has resulted after confinement. In 1939, 152
mothers attended these Post-Natal Clinics; in 1940 the number
was 181. This figure must be considered as most encouraging.
The amount of liquid milk which is being distributed free by
the Welfare Committee has decreased and is now confined to those
cases where one pint of milk a day is considered insufficient. This
is due to the Government Scheme whereby one pint of milk per
day at 2d. a pint is available to all children under five years of age
and to all ante-natal and nursing mothers. In certain circumstances,
such milk can be granted free.
The Lincoln Road Maternity and Child Welfare Centre still
continues to be occupied, not only for Maternity and Child Welfare
purposes but for Civil Defence, with consequent inconvenience to
both services. Plans have been prepared for the erection of premises
that will release the clinic for its welfare purpose.
The health statistics for women and children remain satisfactory.
The maternal mortality rate was 1.81 as compared with
3.9 in 1939. The infantile death rate was 42.53 compared with
55 for England and Wales and 50 for London. Although this
figure is higher than the exceptionally low one we had last year,
it is nevertheless the second lowest of which I can find records.
A scheme is in operation under the aegis of the London County
Council whereby mothers can be taken from the evacuation area of
Enfield to reception areas, about one month before their confinement,
and an increasing number of mothers are taking advantage of this
scheme. The scheme works easily and satisfactorily.
The year 1940 was a year in which your Welfare Services
continued despite early fears. Health was well maintained and
there was no excess of those diseases peculiar to ante-natal and
nursing mothers and young children.
The babies of Enfield still continue to be a pride to those whose
pleasure it is to work for them. The Council may be aware that
it was the older children, the toddlers aged between 2 and 5 years
concerning whom, not only Enfield, but elsewhere, concern was
felt during the past few years. Here again, I have been satisfied
that this age group of children in Enfield show increasing health
and strength.
So many circumstances may be responsible for the satisfactory