View report page

40
concentrated and prolonged doses of infection. There is isolation
accommodation for one child in each nursery, and mothers proved
most unwilling to stay away from work to keep a child with a cold
at home. Catarrhal conditions of the respiratory tract are most
deadly to the young child ; and the dangerous risk of a cold
developing into pneumonia, or of pneumonia complicating measles,
or whooping cough, is undoubtedly increased by exposing the child
with a cold to the weather conditions of early morning and evening,
particularly in the cold, wet period of the year.
Medical Officers of Welfare Authorities were warned by the
Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health in February that
the nutritional condition of children in nurseries, particularly of
the 1-2 year age group, was in certain areas less good than it
should be.
Ministry of Labour officials have now admitted that better
production is obtained from two mothers working part-time than
from one working whole time. It would seem opportune to urge
for a reduction in the hours which nurseries remain open. If women
with young children were employed in the morning only, the
afternoon shifts to be worked by women without young children,
it would be likely to increase production, the health of the mothers
and young children would improve, and as a mother working 4-6
hours would leave her child in the nursery not more than eight
hours, less staff would be required in the nurseries, and less fuel
would be used for lighting and heating.
In November, 1943, letters were received from the Ministry
of Health to the effect that representation had been made by the
Ministry of Labour and National Service that additional Nursery
accommodation was required in this Borough.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Committee considered very
thoroughly all the aspects of the representation, and recommended
(a) the erection of a new Nursery on a suitable site in the Lea
Bridge area, and (b) the extension of existing accommodation at
Ellingham Road Nursery. These proposals have been sent to the
Ministry of Health and are being considered.