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7
GENERAL PROVISIONS OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE AREA.
Births. The number of notifications received was 1,244, and the number of
births registered 1,236. After correction for inward and outward transfers the net
number of Woolwich live births was 2,037 ; of these, 1,282 are known to have taken
place in Institutions.
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics and Treatment Centres. The
general arrangements during the year at each of the Council's maternity and child
welfare clinics and treatment centres were as set out in the 1942 report. The
attendances at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres were :—Expectant Mothers,
7,646 ; Nursing Mothers, 2,214 ; Children, 36,534.
Toddlers' Clinics. The number of inspections carried out at Toddlers'
Clinics was 1,957.
One of the Council's Assistant Medical Officers reports that the clinics were well
attended and the mothers co-operative in carrying out the advice given; that the
health of the children was, on the whole, satisfactory, and that there were extremely
few cases showing a marked degree of ill-health, although minor ailments were found
and there was evidence of a certain lack of good health in a high proportion of the
children, particidarly among those who stayed in London during the whole of the
" flying bomb " and " rocket " periods. The conditions most commonly occurring
were dental caries, chronic infections of the upper respiratory tract, a mild degree
of anaemia, and minor orthopaedic defects.
Health Visiting. The number of visits paid by Health Visitors to children
under five years of age was 18,386 ; the total number of visits paid by Health Visitors
was 25,420.
Child Life Protection. There were 19 foster-mothers on the register at the
end of 1944, compared with 26 in 1943, and there were 20 foster-children. The
number of visits paid by child life protection visitors was 198.
Artificial Sunlight Clinic. Artificial sunlight treatment was again given in
the Town Hall shelter during the early part of the year, but the clinic was transferred
to newly adapted rooms at the Old Town Hall on 24th April. The number
of treatments was 10,784.
Dental Treatment. The number of mothers and of children under five
attending the dental clinics was 323 ; the number of tuberculous persons, 6 ; and
the total number of attendances, 1,062.
Minor Ailments. The number of children under five years of age referred to
school clinics for treatment of minor ailments was 98.