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F.R.C.S.—for the provision of nursing assistance, for hospital treatment in the
County Council's hospitals, and for bacteriological examination where necessary.
The extent to which it has been made use of has been reported on in that part of
the infectious diseases section of the Report which deals with the notification of
these diseases.
Obstetric Complications in Private Practice.—In September, 1931, the
Council arranged for the services of Mr. H. G. Taylor, F.R.C.S., the Council's Consultant
under the Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia Regulations, to be available
in such exceptional cases, and to pay him a fee of £5 5s. od. for each case. When
the detailed arrangements of the County Council scheme for salaried midwives
was under consideration, it was suggested that the panel of consultants should
be enlarged to include all the consultants for all the boroughs in S.E. London, or
Area E of the L.C.C. Scheme, if they were agreeable to be so included. All were
agreeable and so a panel of consultants is now available. Those who have agreed
to act in addition to Mr. Harold Taylor are:—Mr. J. B. Blaikley, F.R.C.S.; Mr.
A. L. Gunn, F.R.C.S.; Mr. A. L. Walker, F.R.C.S. In one ease only during the
year were the services of a Consultant Obstetrician necessary.
Home Helps.—During the year 133 applications were considered by the
Committee and 84 home helps were provided. The total cost of this service was
£391 15s. 5d. and payments by mothers amounted to £48 2s. Od.
Certain amendments were made in the Council's Home Help scheme during the
year.
Boarding out of Children.—In appropriate circumstances, instead of providing
a home help, the Council arranges for the boarding out of children with suitable
foster mothers, at the Council's expense. Children were boarded out on four
occasions during the year.
Expenses of Mothers Breast-Feeding Their Babies in Hospital.—In
appropriate circumstances, where hardship is imposed upon breast fed babies by
the inability of mothers to visit the babies frequently enough in hospital to ensure
normal breast feeding, the Council will pay the travelling expenses incurred by
mothers. No such payments were made during the year.
Treatment of Minor Ailments.—Children requiring medical or surgical
treatment for certain minor ailments are referred to the School Clinics at Brewer
Street, Woolwich, or at the Eltham and Plumstead Health Centres; to private
practitioners; or to hospitals. During the year 357 children were sent to the
clinics and for each case the Council paid 5s. Spectacles have been provided on
occasion at an additional cost to the Council,