View report page

worn in the homes, improves the standard of hygiene and adds
dignity to the work, whilst also protecting the Home Help's personal
clothing. Supervision is exercised by the Health Visitors
who call at the home during the time the Home Help is in
attendance.
The organisation of this service is attended with considerable
difficulties, some almost impossible to overcome these days.
Among the latter the question of exactly when the baby will
arrive, confronts all who handle maternity services. On some
days "late" babies and "early" babies arrive almost together.
At times the Home Helps are usefully employed in the Council's
Day Nurseries whilst waiting for their services to 'be required.
Another unavoidable difficulty causing disappointment occurs
when a Home Help falls ill, but this fortunately is infrequent.
Change of plans, miscarriage, admission to hospital, etc., may all
occur after early application for the Home Help has been made,
and if the appropriate cancellation be delayed disorganisation in
the service is inevitable.
On the whole the Home Helps are warmly greeted and a
high degree of satisfaction is evident from the many letters of
thanks received in respect of their services.
5. INFANT DEATHS. During 1948 the total number of
Wembley children who died without reaching their first birthday
was 42, and, of this number, 34 did not survive the first month
of life.
Despite the comparatively low infant death rate of recent
years in Wembley, Dr. Morison, the late Medical Officer, suggested
that an enquiry regarding the social conditions of each case
of infant death might be undertaken, with a view to exploring
the possibility of the existence of any factor affecting the cause of
infant deaths. A special visit was therefore made by the Health
Visitor for the district, to parents who had suffered the loss of a
young child under twelve months of age during 1948. An attempt
was thereby made to ascertain whether special care or further
health education regarding personal hygiene was indicated in any
case, or if greater knowledge of preventive measures should be
brought to the notice of parents. The following results obtained
from the Health Visitors' enquiry visits are interesting.
Total number of deaths under one year—42. Of this number
34 did not survive the first month of life and the remaining 8
died between one and nine months.
Of the total 42 babies it was possible for infant death enquiryvisits
to be made regarding 35 cases—34 died while still in the
19