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34
EMERGENCY MATERNITY HOMES
During 1946 the Ministry of Health continued to make available
to Local Authorities the facilities of these Emergency
Maternity Homes. Unfortunately, maternity accommodation
available under this scheme was so limited that few Enfield mothers
were able to receive this advantage, in spite of the difficulty in
securing Maternity Hospital accommodation locally. The number
of mothers who were able to avail themselves of these facilities was
61, in comparison with 68 during the previous year.
ORTHOPAEDIC TREATMENT
During the course of the year 75 children were found to be
suffering from orthopaedic defects needing treatment or observation.
The following are the defects from which they suffered:—
Little's disease 2
Genu valgum 31
Pes planus 16
Congenital foot deformity 16
C.D. hip 1
Bow legs 7
Toe deformity 2
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION
The campaign for the immunisation of children against
diphtheria continued throughout the year and 1,201 children under
the age of five years were immunised for the first time.
On a child's first birthday, it is the practice to send him a birthday
card to invite him to attend at one of the Maternity and Child
Welfare Clinics, not only to be medically examined, but also to be
immunised against diphtheria. It is pleasing to note that many of
these invitations are accepted.
All children on reaching the age of 4½ years are invited, by
post-card, to attend a Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic to be
immunised or to receive a supplementary reinforcing dose.
In addition to the above, 120 children between the ages of 5
and 14 years were also immunised for the first time.
Although this routine method of notification to attend the
Clinics for immunisation is important, the most successful
propaganda is found to be by personal advice, and the Medical
Officers and Health Visitors are continually bringing to the notice
of parents the importance and the benefits to be gained therefrom.