View report page

138
We went to Eindhoven for two days, and visited the Phillips' electrical
works factory, housing and welfare schemes. This factory gives employment
to from 7,000 to 8,000 people, men and women. Here, there is a very fine
Infant Welfare Centre with spacious rooms; Dental, X-ray and Venereal
Disease Clinics are all held in this building. The doctor informed us that
70 per cent of the mothers attended the clinics; 70 per cent of the infants were
breast-fed, and that they had closed their milk kitchen.
At Heerlen, Maastricht and Arnhem, where we stayed for two days,
we paid visits to a Midwifery Training School, the Miners Area and Welfare
Schemes, Education Housing Institute, Nursery School and an Orphanage.
At Maastricht, I was greatly impressed by a Day Convalescent Home
for adults. Here, we saw some fifty men and women who had been discharged
from hospital before they were quite well—owing to pressure of
vacant beds for more serious cases. These patients only stayed at the home
during the day-time, and returned to their houses at night. They are conveyed
to and fro daily by ambulance supplied by the State. Patients are
cared for by nurses, given lunch and tea, and rest on beds or chairs out in
the open. They pay according to their means, and their children are cared
for at the nursery school. The doctor pointed out to us that this was a great
boon, especially to the mothers, who, however, very often wanted their discharge
before they were quite fit, on account of worry over their children.
Tuberculosis is not a notifiable disease in Holland, but it is very prevalent
judging from the number of patients in the sanatoria and the number
of children suffering from this disease. All their sanatoria are
built in the lovely pine woods and they are beautifully fitted with glass.
Rickets was also very common amongst the children.
Holland has two points very much in her favour, namely, they have no
unemployment, and they have plenty of land to build on.
The population is between seven and eight millions.
Their infantile mortality was rather high. 50 per 1,000. The birth rate
was 23 per 1,000; but the maternal mortality rate is the lowest in Europe, 1.5
per 1,000.
Dr. Jitta, who was most kind, arranged a very interesting programme,
and though a busy man, spent two days with us, showing us points of interest.
He was most anxious that we should take away good impressions of
Holland and of its growing Health Department.
The Dutch are a very hospitable people, and we all came away feeling
very pleased with our tour.
I feel that it has been of great educational value, and would like to express
my gratitude to the Committee for giving me this opportunity.
I am, Madam, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
B. C. HUNT,
Health Visitor.