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INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.
The work of visiting children placed in the care of fostermothers
is carried out by the Health Visitors, all of whom have
been appointed Infant Life Protection Visitors.
Visits paid during 1937:—
To Foster Children 1,299
To Foster Parents 842
At the end of the year there were on the register:—
Foster Children 80
Foster Parents 53
Number of Foster Children who died during
the year 2
On whom inquests were held Nil
The circumstances of foster parents and prospective parents
are carefully investigated, and when the environment appears
unsuitable for the reception of children the advice is given not
to pursue the matter.
PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS.
Ministry of Health Circular No. 1621.
In this Circular the Minister of Health made his observations
with regard to a report published in 1936, on the Prevention
of Blindness by the Standing Committee on the Prevention
of Blindness of the Union of Counties Associations for the Blind.
The County Council are the Authority responsible for the
welfare of blind persons in the County, while the Public Health
Act, 1936, also confers on both County Councils and Local Sanitary
Authorities power to make arrangements for assisting in
the prevention of blindness, and, in particular, for the treatment
of persons suffering from any disease of or injury to the
eyes.
The Circular dealt with Maternity and Child Welfare; children
of and over school age; infectious diseases; venereal
diseases; prevention of accidents; statistics on blindness and
publication of information.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
The report of the Committee directed attention to the importance
of a comprehensive and adequate scheme of. antenatal
supervision. In Wembley appropriate cases attending the
ante-natal clinics are referred to a Hospital for specialist examination.
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