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19 [1934
The mothers while in residence obtain a practical demonstration in mother.
craft night and day. Before the children are discharged their mothers are shown
the errors they have made in diet and management. When physical defects are
discovered the children are transferred to hospitals.
Mothers.—Number admitted during 1934: 41 with 41 babies plus 31 daily
cases.
Babies.—Number admitted during 1934 : 89 plus 9 daily cases.
Five Home Helps.—Women are employed to go into the homes and do the
work of the mother while she is in bed after her confinement. Mothers pay into a
club to entitle them to the services of a Home Help.
Number of members, 94. Number of homes attended, 146.
Mothers and Fathers Committees.—These Committees assist the Centre to
spread its teaching. They act as a liaison between those who provide the information
and benefits obtainable at the Centre and those who receive them. The
fathers raised a considerable sum for the Mayor's Christmas Dinner Fund.
Exercise Clinics are provided for certain children attending the "Light"
Department. The mothers are referred to this Clinic from the post.natal and
" Light " Departments.
Post.Natal Clinics are held for mothers to attend six weeks after confinement
to ascertain that normal conditions have been restored and that the general health
is satisfactory. This clinic is becoming overcrowded.
1934. Number of clinics held, 50.
Number of mothers who attended, 255.
Number of attendances, 656.
South.
Centre.—6, Clephanc Road, N.l.
Rose Branch.—15, Popham Road, N.l.
Canonbury Branch.—Held at 100, Canonbury Road, N.l.
The policy of the Committee has been to enable every mother to be within easy
reach of a Centre and for this purpose, as the district is a large and varied one, the
work is carried out at one main Centre and two Branches. One of the Branches
is held in a converted public house, which was purchased by the Centre from
voluntary funds.
The Centre sends a large number of mothers and children to the Almeric Paget
Massage Corps in Britannia Row for massage, artificial sunlight and remedial
exercises.
The weekly dental clinic is well attended. The mothers are urged to bring
their children for dental inspection and they themselves can have their teeth
stopped or extracted under gas and obtain dentures when necessary. They pay
for them gradually to the extent of their ability, the balance being provided from a
special Samaritan Fund, and other sources.
This Centre owns a Convalescent Cottage at Flamstead, near St. Albans, for
six mothers and babies. The mothers go for a fortnight and pay according to
their means. The Centre also sends seven children at a time between the ages of
3 and 5 years old to Miss Fleetwood's Home at the seaside, where they stay for a
month. Last year the Centre sent away 82 mothers, 89 babies and 70 children.