View report page

15
SECTION B.—MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE
SERVICES.
B(l). The Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme is comparatively
a complete one, and provides the following services : —
1. Ante-natal clinic—one session per week (shortly to be
increased to two per week when the new clinic at Bedonwell
is opened).
2. Provision of an Obstetric consultant for difficulties
and emergencies arising during pregnancy and labour.
3. Hospital provision for cases of Puerperal Pyrexia and
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
4. Provision of Free Milk for necessitous expectant, and
nursing mothers.
5. Provision of sterilised maternity outfits at cost price,
or free to necessitous cases.
6. Provision for dental treatment of children under
school age and nursing and pregnant women at a clinic held
fortnightly at the School Dental Clinic.
7. Three Infant Welfare Centres holding 10 sessions per
month. (Shortly to be increased by 4 per month when the new
Clinic at Bedonwell is opened).
Provision for Orthopaedic treatment for children under
school age, is provided for in a scheme now under consideration
by the Council.
B(2). Notification of Births.
During 1936, 564 live births and 16 stillbirths, giving a
total of 580, were notified to me. Of these, 458 were notified
by midwives and 122 by doctors and other persons. In every
case where a birth is registered and has not been notified, the
responsible person is requested to furnish an explanation. All
still births and deaths of children under the age of 5 years are
investigated by the Health Visitors.
B(3). Child Welfare.
The basis of child welfare facilities in the Erith Urban
District is a system of, two clinics held on one half-day a week,
and one clinic held on one half-day a fortnight, in various parts
of the town. It is proposed to establish two more weekly clinics,
an ante-natal and an infant welfare, at the new clinic now in
process of erection at Bedonwell Hill.
Each infant welfare clinic is attended by a Medical Officer,
two Health Visitors, and one clerk. The Health Visitors
weigh each child who attends, advise mothers in certain cases
and refer others to the Medical Officer for consultation, as