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38
been instituted at Emmanuel Hall to coincide with the distribution of
Welfare Foods on Monday afternoons, which obviates the need for
mothers resident in the Lea Bridge area to make a long journey to Leyton
Green Clinic unless they are specially recommended to see the doctor
there.
Early in 1956 a Mothers' Club was commenced at one of the Health
Clinics and is proving a great success.
The distribution of Welfare Foods coincides with Clinic sessions and
thus saves the mothers extra journeys for the collection of milk and
vitamin products. It is apparent that there is a decrease in the "take-up"
of these commodities.
During January to October, monthly Post-natal Clinics were held at
the Lady Rayleigh Training Home. Subsequent to this, owing to a
decrease in the numbers attending, post-natal examinations were carried
out at Ante-natal Clinics.
There were no deaths of Leyton residents due to maternal causes
during the year. This is the third year since 1950 that no deaths of this
nature have occurred in the area.
Dental services for nursing and expectant mothers and children
under five years of age are carried out by all the Dental Officers. The
patients are referred by the medical staff and receive advice or treatment
including the supply of dentures where necessary. Many of the expectant
mothers have received treatment from the oral hygienist, and subsequent
periodical inspection has been arranged where necssary. Pre-school
children are seen from about two to two-and-a-half years of age, and
although no treatment may be considered necessary the visit serves a
useful purpose in introducing the patient to the atmosphere and surroundings
of the dental surgery.
Notes on the Infant Mortality, Neo-natal Mortality and Still-birth
rates are referred to in the section of the Report on the Local Sanitary
Authority work.
The Day Nurseries in the area continue to be fully occupied, and
their necessity is proven by the numbers of medico-social cases that have
been dealt with during the year.
Midwifery.
It is significant to note that over eighty per cent, of confinements
take place in hospital, and this shows there is not the shortage of maternity
beds which appertained for the first few years after the war.
The preference for hospital confinments entails difficulties in the
training of pupil midwives owing to the small number of domiciliary
confinements, in which they should carry out their practical training.
The two Municipal Midwives assist in the training of the pupils from the
Lady Rayleigh Training Home.
Health Visiting.
Now that the duties of Health Visitors embraces the "care of the
whole family," further duties have been allocated to the nursing staff in
the visiting of old people.
My predecessor, Dr. A. W. Forrest, submitted a comprehensive
report on the problems of old people living at home, and subsequently a
register of persons of this category was compiled. At the end of the
year there were 439 persons on the register and, of these, 284 had been
visited by the Health Visiting staff. Of these, nine only were