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97
I am convinced that the post-natal clinic scheme is a valuable
extension of your maternity and child welfare services, and that
authority should be given for increasing the number of sessions to
meet requirements as the service becomes—as I feel it will become—
more widely appreciated by mothers in the area. As the result of
experience during the past year I suggest that Council Minute 329
(ii) of December, 1937, be modified to allow of patients having
prescriptions dispensed by chemists of their own choice.
Dr. Helen Jardine has kindly submitted the following report
on the first year's work at the special clinic, and I take this opportunity
of recording my appreciation of her valuable services.
Report bt Dr. Helen Jardine, M.D., Ch.B., M.M.S.A.
An attempt has been made to arrange the appointments between
six and eight weeks after confinement—because this is the
best time for a post-natal examination—but this has not always
been possible with a monthly clinic. During two months extra
clinics were held to overtake the waiting list.
The 223 mothers who attended during 1938 did so for these
reasons:—
In response to letters of invitation 188
Referred by midwives 3
Referred by health visitors 7
Referred by clinic medical officers 19
Referred by general medical practitioners 2
Attended on own initiative 4
223
Of these patients, 195 (Leyton Green, 100 ; Park House, 95)
were " post-natal," i.e., had their confinements within the previous
three months ; 26 (Leyton Green, 16 ; Park House, 10) were
" gynaecological " ; 2 were found to come under neither category
(one suffered from neurasthenia and the other from rheumatism) and
were referred elsewhere for treatment.