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10
2.—MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
(i) Ante-natal Clinics.
These have continued on the same lines as before, and the
Consultative Ante-natal Clinic held at Oldchurch County Hospital,
under the supervision of Mr. S. Henderson, M.C.O.G., F.R.C.S.,
is still available for patients sent direct by General Practitioners, or
referred from the Council's Ante-natal Clinics.
During the year 1939, 784 individual expectant mothers attended
the Clinics, representing 82 5 per cent. of the total notified births
(live and still). In addition 87 mothers attended for post-natal advice,
representing 91 per cent. of total notified births.
In all 147 sessions were held during the year. The total number
of attendances of the 871 mothers mentioned above was 3,077,
giving an average of 3'5 attendances per patient. The average
number attending at each session was 20.9.
(ii) Infant Welfare Clinics.
Clinic services in this respect remained very much as before, and
even the onset of war caused but a minimum of interference with our
routine. At the beginning of September, it was ncessary to transfer
the sessions being held at St. Michael's Hall, Gidea Park, and
Wembley Hall, Princes Road, to the Marks Road Centre, as these
halls were earmarked for other purposes. In December, however,
we were able to re-open the Gidea Park Clinic at another hall, St.
George's Hall, Straight Road; and, at the end of December,
arrangements were being made to re-open the other session at its
previous premises, as early as possible in 1940. Another minor
adjustment, after the cessation of Summer-time, was the holding of
the afternoon sessions from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m., to enable mothers
to return home before the hours of darkness.
During 1939, the building of a new Clinic was commenced to
serve the Collier Row Area, and at the end of the year the work of
building was still in progress.
Owing to the outbreak of war, many families evacuated from
this area, although Romford was officially scheduled as a Neutral
Area. The reason for this, in many cases, was the fact that businesses
had been evacuated from London, and the families of those employed
in these businesses had naturally to leave this area where so many
had previously resided. Others, again, went with their children to
safer areas. To counteract this exodus, however, many families from
the Evacuation Areas of London, not wishing to go too far afield,
found their way into Romford, and it was not long before their
attendances at the Clinics of the Council counterbalanced those who
had left.