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(w) An arrangement with the Woolwich Invalid Children's Aid Association
for the Convalescent Home treatment of children requiring such treatment.
(x) Convalescent Home treatment for expectant and nursing mothers.
(y) Arrangements for the supply and distribution to young children, expectant
and nursing mothers, of milk and food drugs at cost price, half cost or
free, according to economic circumstances.
(z) In addition to these services the Council have, at the request of the London
County Council, undertaken to do such work as is necessary in the case
of children under five years of age:—
(1) Under the Blind Persons Act, 1920.
(2) Under Section 6 of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory
Pensions Act, 1925.
Staffing.—Three whole-time medical officers are in medical charge of the
clinics, each devoting, per week, eight half-days to Maternity and Child Welfare
and three half-days to Tuberculosis. Four part-time medical officers are also
employed : one on three half-days, one on two half-days and two on one half-day
each, three of them for general work and one for the systematic examination of
toddlers. Six consultants have been appointed, one for the artificial sunlight
clinic, one for consultation in comiection with cases of puerperal sepsis and difficult
obstetric conditions occurring at home, three for difficult obstetric conditions occurring
at home, and one for the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic. The dental staff—three
dentists and an anaesthetist—are part-time and are appointed by the School
Treatment Committee subject to the approval of the Council. The health visiting
staff now consists of thirteen health visitors ; two of these are part-time sanitary
inspectors, and all but one, who is the Artificial Sunlight Clinic Nurse, are Infant
Life Protection Visitors. It is the practice of the Council to appoint additional
temporary health visitors during epidemics of measles.
The London County Council felt that it would be to the advantage of the
maternity and child welfare services of London if a closer link could be established
between maternity and child welfare clinics and the County Council's general
hospitals, and suggested that if medical officers in charge of the maternity and
child welfare clinics were permitted to be associated in an honorary capacity with
the maternity departments and ante-natal clinics at the County Council's hospitals,
it would be to the advantage of the service generally. It was suggested that there
should be no fixed visiting days and times for the medical officers in charge, but
that they should be at liberty to visit hospitals at any time convenient to them in
order to maintain contact with the medical staff of the hospital and especially with
patients known to them. The arrangements are, of course, subject to the general
supervision of the medical superintendent of the hospital, and in no way affect the
responsibility of the Council's medical staff for the treatment of patients.
The Borough Council agreed to co-operate in this way and subsequently Dr.
Proudfoot and Dr. Saunders-Jacobs were associated in this way at St. Nicholas
Hospital and Dr. Smith at Lewisham Hospital.