View report page

103
The Home for Ailing Babies was closed in 1926, but an agreement was entered
into with the War Memorial Hospital for the reservation of twelve beds, and the
original scheme was enlarged to include all children under five years of age in need
of hospital treatment. Arrangements were also made for the reservation of
maternity beds at the Hospital. During this year, the Council made special
arrangements in connection with puerperal fever, including the appointment of a
consultant obstetrician.
A new phase in the usefulness of welfare centres began in 1927, when an
agreement was entered into with the London County Council for the dental treatment
of school children at the Plumstead Centre. At the end of the year, part
of the Old Town Hall was adapted as a model Centre, and a clinic for treatment
by artificial light was included.
The scheme for the convalescent treatment of children under 5 years of age
was completed with the Woolwich Invalid Children's Aid Association during the
following year, and in 1929, the Council approved a scheme for the provision of
home helps to carry on the domestic duties of mothers during confinement.
In May last, a Toddlers' Clinic for the medical examination and supervision
of children between one year of age and the time when they begin to attend school,
was established. It is hoped, by this means, to carry on the work done at the Child
Welfare Centres and thus enable parents to get advice and help from the birth of
the child until it reaches school age.
(a) Notification of Births Acts, 1907-15.—Every birth occurring in the
Borough requires to be notified to the Medical Officer of Health within thirty-six
hours of birth. As a matter of fact, only a very small percentage of births are not so
notified. As soon as a notification is received pamphlets dealing with the care
and comfort of mothers and infants are sent by post to every mother. Subsequently,
between the tenth and fourteenth day, a visit is paid to the home by the Health
Visitor who decides on her first visit the necessity for subsequent visits. It may
be stated, however, that, broadly, the general basis of visiting is as follows :
three visits during the first year and one visit in each subsequent year up to the
age of five years, or until the child goes to school.
(b) The Work of the Health Visitors.—At the end of the year the number
of health visitors was increased by one, Miss F. E. Frederick taking up her duties on
the 5th May. The duties of health visitor include the visiting of newly-born
infants, children under school age, and expectant mothers who have attended at
the ante-natal clinics or to whom visits are desirable; the investigation of a limited
number of still births and the deaths of young children; the visiting and reporting
upon all cases of Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia; and attendance at infant
welfare centres and dental clinics. Their duties are so arranged that approximately
half time is devoted to visiting and half time to centre work. Each health visitor