View report page

117
The Centre at Hoxton Hall on Tuesday morning is new, having been
started as a result of the very large attendances on Tuesday afternoons at
that Centre. The attendances at the Thursday afternoon Centre also became
so large as to be unmanageable, and to meet this difficulty it was arranged
that two doctors should occasionally be in attendance.
Particulars of attendances at the Centres are given in the table on
page 139. Approximately 81 per cent. of all infants under one year of age
visited the Centres during the year, making an average number of attendances
of 16. Both these figures are higher than the corresponding figures
for 1931.
Educational work at the Centres has been continued and extended
during the year. Miss Mould, the Dental Hygienist, has continued to give
talks and demonstrations upon the importance of the care of the teeth.
Towards the end of the year an enquiry into the state of the teeth of 300
children born during 1929 was commenced with the object of ascertaining
whether there were any special steps which might be taken to prevent the
decay of teeth in young children.
For the first time the Shoreditch Centres entered the. National Parentcraft
Competition, and there can be no doubt that by so doing a stimulus
was given to educational work.
Students.
The arrangement referred to in the last report under which five Students
from the National Health Society attend the Maternity and Child Welfare
Department on Tuesday and Thursday each week, continued until towards
the end of the year when the number was increased to six. These Students
are preparing for the examination for the Health Visitor's certificate and
receive practical instruction in all branches of the work.
In addition to these Students, four probationer Health Visitors were
engaged in this Department throughout the year in accordance with the
arrangements approved by the Ministry of Health under Circular 978 and
fully explained in last year's report.
Babies' Wards.
Model Welfare Centre.
There is accommodation at this Centre for 10 babies, or 8 babies and 2
mothers. Babies suffering from disorders of nutrition are admitted and
mothers with their babies for the establishment of breast feeding.