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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
There has been no change in the number of sessions
at the welfare centres, but the numbers have again shown a
large increase over the previous year.
The voluntary workers have continued to give much
valuable service at the welfare centres which is greatly appreciated
by everyone concerned.
Infant Welfare Centres.
The attendances of children at the centres in 1937 were
18,581 as compared with 17,004 in 1936. Children under one
year of age made 10,226 attendances and children over one
year 8,355. The number of examinations made by the doctor
in attendance was 6,647. The average attendance per session
was 52.
There has been a good deal of overcrowding at the
centres in the North and West Wards and this is partly due
to the fact that there were 85 children on the registers who
lived in the Borough of Hendon and who had no centre
belonging to their own Council within a reasonable distance.
It became necessary to ask the Hendon Council to make
provision for their children. The Council also decided to increase
the sessions at which a doctor attends from 3 per
fortnight to 2 per week at each of these 2 centres. A part
time Medical Officer has been appointed on this account and
she has taken charge of the North Finchley Centre from
the 1 st April, 1938.
Ante-Natal Clinic.
There has been another marked increase in the number of
pregnant women attending during the year—395 as compared
with 319 in 1936 and 234 in 1935. The total attendances were
1,482 as compared with 1,192 in 1936.
The number of mothers attending was equal to 46.75%
of the total notified births.
At her first attendance each patient has a general medical
examination and any abnormality which might complicate
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