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41
of their time, they consider that regular attendance at the
Welfare Centres is vitally important to the health of their
children. The fact that a child has been brought to the Welfare
Centres regularly during its early life, is of particular importance
when it reaches the age when it starts school, as we then
have a continuous record of its progress from birth. The very
necessary integration of the Maternity and Child Welfare
Service and the School Medical Service is thus established.
Full statistical details of the Welfare Centres for 1947 will
be found in Table VIII.
CLINIC TREATMENT OF CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS.
The importance of regular attendance at the Welfare Centres
is also shown in the following table which gives details of the
treatments received by children under the age of 5 years at the
various remedial school clinics.
It will be appreciated that the early diagnosis and treatment
of physical defects is most desirable and does much towards
the prevention of these defects undermining the development
and wellbeing of the child, particularly in its early years when
healthy development is of such importance.
Eye Clinic 159
Sunlight Clinic 469
Orthopaedic Clinic 352
Minor Ailments Clinic 147
Dental Clinic: —
Total attendances 192
No. of extractions 74
No. of fillings 154
No. of gas administrations 42
In addition, 15 children were referred for tonsil and|or
adenoid treatment.
HOME VISITING BY HEALTH VISITORS.
The increase in the number of births in 1947 (1,308 live
births) compared with 1946 (1,176 live births) has meant that an
increased responsibility has been placed on the Health Visitors.
The following table, which gives comparative figures for the
two years, shows that, despite the additional amount of work
which has been carried out by them, both at the Welfare Centres,
and also insofar as the School Medical Services are concerned,
every effort has been made to maintain the level of home visiting
as high as possible.
This personal contact at home is most important, both from
the point of view of the mothers seeking advice, and from that