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All infants reported to be suffering from discharge from the
eyes are at once visited by the Health Visitor. Should they not
be under the supervision of a medical practitioner, or attending a
Hospital, arrangements are made for their being brought for treatment
at the special morning Clinic. Severe cases are referred to
the School Ophthalmic Surgeon.
Morning Clinics were held during 1929 :—At
White House, Plashet Grove, on
Monday and Wednesday, at 9.30 a.m.
The statistics for 1929 are as follows:—
Number of cases seen at morning Clinics 1,569
Number of medical consultations 544
The Work of the Health Visitors in the Homes of the
Borough.
The visiting of young infants and children under school age
was the primary object of the appointment of Health Visitors,
and remains the most important part of their work.
Information (within 36 hours after confinement) as to all
births in the Borough reaches the Medical Officer of Health under
the requirements of the Notification of Births Acts, 1907 and 1915,
and is by him passed on to the Medical Officer of the Infant
Welfare Department. A fortnight later, i.e., after the doctor or
midwife has probably ceased to attend, the Health Visitor of the
district in which a birth has occurred calls at the home, and does
what she can to help the mother with regard to the care, management,
feeding and clothing of the child, and of other young
children in the house. This arrangement for advice by the Health
Visitors is especially valuable in the case of young mothers with
their first babies, and in poor homes where a trained nurse has
not otherwise been available.
Thereafter, periodic visits are made to the homes of infants
during the first two years of life, and, as far as possible, at wider
intervals, during the next three years, up to the time when the
child comes under the observation of the School Medical Service.
In addition to the routine work of the Health Visitors, special
visits to the homes are made in reference to cases of enlarged