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(e) Care of the Toddler.—On the 5th December, 1929, the Minister of Health
and the President of the Board of Education issued a combined circular on the
care of the toddler. It was pointed out in this circular that considerable provision
had been made for the supervision of the health of babies during the first
year or two of life under the provisions of the Maternity and Child Welfare Act,
1918, and that under the Education Acts provision is made for the medical inspection
and treatment of school children; but although, theoretically, provision is
made for the toddler, there is a very definite hiatus in the supervision of these
children. Local Authorities were earnestly urged to make a new effort to deal
with the problem of the start of child life, as it was obviously grossly uneconomic
to allow the health and stamina of infants to deteriorate until they are five years
of age, and then to spend large sums of money in trying to cure them between the
ages of 5 and 15. The main aspects of the problem were, therefore, the discovery
of defects which existed and the securing of treatment when necessary. In the
circular it was suggested that more Nursery Schools might be provided by Education
Authorities and more Day Nurseries by Maternity and Child Welfare Authorities.
Woolwich had had experience of day nurseries. They were established during the
war and extensively used, but immediately after the war they were closed because
nobody wanted to use them—no doubt due to the fact that there are relatively
fewer married women employed in Woolwich than in any other Borough in London.
With this avenue closed, it was necessary to find some other means of approaching
the problem, and ultimately it was decided to institute a scheme to provide for
the medical inspection of the toddler on similar lines to the medical examination
of school children, but making provision for such examination in the third, fourth
and fifth year of life. By such a scheme it is hoped to discover defects at least a
year or two earlier than they would be discovered by the School Medical Service.
With regard to treatment, the Council was in a very fortunate position, because
experience has shown that parents were very ready to take their children to medical
practitioners for such treatment as was necessary when it became known to them,
and under the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare scheme the channel is already
established whereby treatment can be provided for those unable to pay doctor's fees.
As this was a new venture which would take time for the general public to
become acquainted with its necessity and its routine, it was decided to make provision
in the first instance for a special toddlers' medical inspection clinic on two
half days a week. In March, Dr. Margaret Emslie was appointed to do this work,
and she has furnished the following observations dealing with the period of eight
months ending 31st December.
"The clinic opened in May, 1930, and in the period between May and December
of that year, 256 boys and 216 girls were examined, a total of 472.
The method of procedure at the Clinic was as follows:—After registering,
weighing, and measuring, the child was brought to the Medical Officer, who enquired
of the mother regarding its previous history, illnesses and the health of the family.