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In 9 of the 12 notified cases a private doctor was in attendance at birth, in 1 case the doctor
arrived after the birth of the child, in 1 case the birth was attended by a midwife, and in the 12th
case the birth occurred in a London Hospital. The other particulars of the cases are as follows :—-
4 cases were instrumental.
1 case " chloroform " (London Hospital case).
1 case difficult labour—adherent placenta—post partum ha;morrhage.
1 case child still born.
1 case miscarriage 5 months.
4 cases normal as far as ascertained.
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3 cases were treated at home, one subsequently attending the Royal Free Hospital
as an out-patient. These 3 cases recovered.
1 case was treated in St. Bartholomew's Hospital and proved fatal.
1 case was treated in The London Hospital and recovered.
1 case was treated in the Municipal Hospital and recovered.
6 cases were treated in Park Royal Hospital, 1 proved fatal, 5 recovered.
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Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The number of cases of this disease notified during the year was
29, giving a case rate of 10-2 per 1,000 registered births. A private doctor attended at the confinement
in 19 cases, a midwife in 9 and the remaining case was born in a hospital. Treatment
was obtained at a hospital in 5 cases, at the Municipal Clinics in 7 cases and by a private doctor at
home in 17 cases. Complete recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in 25 cases, in one case one
eye was permanently injured, while one case was still under treatment at the end of the year, and in
2 other cases the children died, one from bronchitis and debility and one from prematurity.
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS.
Municipal Centres.—At the Municipal Clinics, including the Ringworm Clinic, expectant
mothers attended the medical consultations on 753 occasions; nursing mothers, 5,525; and
children under 5, 10,804; making a total of 17,082 attendances. These figures when compared
with the corresponding figures for 1923 show a fall of 6,189 attendances.
The regulations in force as regards the admission of cases to hospital for confinement,
and the eligibility of cases for medical or dental treatment at the Clinics account for the diminished
number of attendances.
Out of the total number of children born in Willesden during the year, 508 or 17.9 per cent.,
subsequently attended the Welfare Centre.
The number of births occurring amongst expectant mothers who attended the Ante-Natal
Clinic was 255; 47.1 per cent. of these mothers with their babies subsequently attended the Welfare
Centre.
SCHOOL FOR MOTHERS.
Clinic 1.—The work in this department has been very satisfactory, the total attendances
for the year 1924 being 2,310, and the average daily attendance 9.5.
In spite of the abnormally wet summer the attendances remained steady, and the mothers
attending have shown marked interest in the lectures and demonstrations arranged. No less than
23 expectant mothers have attended the classes and made their infants' outfits, and all continued
to attend for instruction after the birth of the child.
An exhibition of work done by mothers attending the School was held during Baby Week,
July lst-4th, 1924, and the standard of work was very high, over 60 garments being exhibited.
During Baby Week talks were given on "Hay Box Cookery," by Miss Holman, Meals
Supervisor; "Breast Feeding," by Dr. Troup, Clinic Medical Officer; and "The Care of the Teeth,"
by Mr. Jennings, Clinic Dentist. There were also practical demonstrations of food storage and
bathing and dressing of the New Born Infant. 74 scholars from the Council's Schools also attended
the Exhibition, and displayed great interest.
During the year 2,466 children were looked after in the Nursery while their mothers attended
the School. All the children showed a satisfactory standard of clothing and personal hygiene.
Clinic 2 and Lower Place.—In April 1924 mothercraft classes were started at Clinic 2,
and at the Medical Inspection Centre, Lower Place.
The total attendances at Clinic 2 were 380 mothers and 128 children, giving an average per
session of 5 mothers and 2 children approximately.
At Lower Place the attendances of mothers amounted to 206 and of children 214, giving an
average per session of 6 mothers and 6 children approximately.