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11
War-Time Day-Nurseries. At the end of 1944, seven day-nurseries, providing
accommodation for 327 children were in operation in the Borough. Five
were established by the Borough Council, and two were in London County Council
rest centres. With the end of the war in Europe and the return of evacuated
schoolchildren, the London County Council asked for the return of Bloomfield
Road School for educational purposes and the day-nursery there was closed at
the end of July. The Rest Centre service, in common with Civil Defence, having
been disbanded, the day-nursery at Roper Hall, Eltham, was closed in May, and
the nursery at Earl Rise School in July. Thus, at the end of the year, there
remained in use four day-nurseries, providing places for 217 children.
Clinic for Physical Medicine. In the latter half of the year the work of
this clinic was brought back to its full capacity, the number of attendances rising
to 10,955, as compared with 7,821 in 1944.
Professional Nursing in the Home. The arrangements with the local
nursing associations in force for many years were continued, provision being made
for nursing assistance in the homes of patients suffering from Measles, Ophthalmia
Neonatorum, Zymotic Enteritis, Whooping Cough, Poliomyelitis, Pneumonia,
Puerperal Fever, Puerperal Pyrexia and Tuberculosis. The total number of visits
paid by the nurses on behalf of the Council was 2,075. In addition, a grant of
£100 was made to the nursing associations for the nursing of children under the
age of five years for conditions other than those above-mentioned, distributed
on the basis of the percentage of the total of cases nursed by the nurses of each
nursing association.
Foot Clinics. The demand for foot treatment continues to grow ; increases
in the attendances at both clinics were recorded. The number of attendances at
the clinic at the Central Health Centre was 9,148 compared with 8,243 in 1944. At
Eltham, the number of attendances was 5,669, compared with 5,196. In May
the accommodation at the uncompleted Eltham Hill Health Centre, Sherard Road,
used as a gas cleansing station, was vacated and after some adaptation the Eltham
Foot Clinic was transferred from Eltham Baths to that building on the 5th October.
Supply of Insulin to Persons Suffering from Diabetes. The number of
patients who received Insulin during the year, in accordance with the sanction of the
Ministry of Health, was 22.
Tuberculosis Dispensary. The temporary premises at Maxey Road,
Plumstead, and the dispensary at 11, Carnecke Gardens, Eltham, continued in use
throughout the year. The work of the dispensaries is referred to in the section
dealing with infectious diseases.
Vaccination. The Vaccination Officer's return for the year 1944 shows
that there were 1,234 entries in the birth lists. Of these, 612 were successfully
vaccinated. The total number of successful primary vaccinations during 1945
was 1,243.