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8
Maternity and Child Welfare.
The progress of the war and the decrease of Medical
Staff has made it impossible for the Council to inaugurate
a scheme for the care of expectant mothers and infants at
the present time. There is, however, no subject of such
great importance to the district and to the country than this,
and with the cessation of hostilities, or when the personnel
is available, all possible measures should be adopted by the
Council with the object of saving infant life.
The methods and measures to be adopted have been
fully set out in Appendix D, page 225, of my Annual Report
for 1914 as amended by Appendix C of the present report.
The Local Government Board are now paying grants up to
50 per cent. on approved schemes of Local Authorities.
Medical Inspection and Treatment.
There were 24,178 children attending the Willesden
schools in the middle of the year 1915. 5,315 were submitted
to routine medical inspection during the year, and
2,700 parents attended the examinations. 5,144 children
were specially referred to the Medical Staff on account of
6,456 defects, 206 of which related to the mental condition
of children. Of the remaining 6,250 defects the Medical
Service of the Authority has been able to deal with 4,114
at the school clinics or at home under the supervision of
the Health Visitors as directed by the Medical Staff. 821
defects received treatment at voluntary hospitals or
charitable institutions, 31 received treatment from the Poor
Law, and 653 from private practitioners. In all 89.9 per
cent. of the defects brought to notice received attention.
It is to be observed that 5,674 attendances were registered
during 1915 at the school clinics for the treatment of
eyes and ringworm, as against 2,517 during 1914.