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25
MATERNITY AND CHILD
WELFARE.
At the outbreak of war the Council's Maternity and Child
Welfare Clinics were closed temporarily in order to safeguard against
the possibility of exposing to air raids expectant and nursing mot hers
and young children congregated at the Welfare Sessions. An
additional consideration was the fact that the Clinic Medical
Officers and Health Visitors were all allocated for duty at First
Aid Posts in order to deal with the air raid casualties expected at
that time.
After about a fortnight's freedom from air raids steps were
taken to visit at their homes such mothers and children as were
found to require special consideration and treatment.
By 2nd October it was possible to relieve the members of the
medical, nursing and clerical staff from duties in connection with
the local A.R.P. Casualty Services during the day-time, and to
resume the following clinic sessions at the two Council Health
Centres (Leyton Green and Park House) :—
Infant Welfare Two sessions per week at each Centre.
Ante-Natal One regular session at each Centre
per week, and additional sessions
by appointment as required.
This arrangement was found to work very satisfactorily, and
by the end of the year under review these clinic sessions were
being well attended.
INFANT WELFARE.
Notification of Births.—Fourteen hundred and one notifications
of births were received during the year.
By medical practitioners 468
By midwives 933
By parents and others Nil.
During the year under review, the total attendances at the
Council's Infant Welfare Centres were 15,219, a decrease of 3,362
compared with the figure (18,581) for the previous year. The
number of children examined by the Clinic Medical Officers was
5,919 as compared with 7,040 examined during the previous year.