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37
Infant Welfare Centres.—80 voluntary lady helpers were engaged
in the work at the Infant Welfare Centres at the end of December, 1943.
During the year the following attendances were recorded:—
Total number of attendances of infants 45,821
First attendances 2,225
Total number of children on roll, December 31st, after
omission of all those who had not attended for six
mcDthb 3,380
14,022 attendances of children from 1 to 5 years were made at the
Infant Welfare Cert.res during the year.
Treatment of Minor Ailments.—Children suffering from simple
dietetic ailments are treated at the Infant Welfare Centres. 20 belts and
5 trusses have been supplied to infants suffering from hernia during 1943.
A certain number of infants were brought to the Clinics at Newbury Hall and
All Saints' Church Hall to receive treatment for minor ailments.
50 children under 5 years of age were operated upon at Queen Mary's
Hospital, Stratford, and at King George Hospital, Ilford, for removal of
tonsils and adenoids. 12 were treated free of charge as cases of necessity.
By arrangement with the Invalid Children's Aid Association 1 child
under 5 years of age was sent to St. Vincent's Orthopaedic Hospital, Pinner,
for a period of 13 weeks. The Council contributed £8 2s. 6d. towards the
cost of the maintenance of the child.
Midwives.—There are 14 State certified midwives (including the
Superintendent and 11 Council midwives) resident and practising in the
district. In addition there were at the end of the year, 20 State certified
midwives at the Council's Maternity Home and 3 at a private nursing home
in Ilford.
Their supervision has been carried out as in previous years.
7 Midwives (5 on 2 occasions) were suspended from practice for varying
periods following attendance on 10 cases rendering them liable to be a source
of infection, as follows:—
Notified cases of Puerperal Pyrexia due to Haemolvtic Streptococcal
infection (3); Sub-involution and foot drop; Sub-involution; Gervical tear
and sub-involution; Mammary abscess (2) and non-notified cases of Pyrexia
due to Thrombo Phlebitis of both legs and Thrombo Phlebitis of left leg.
0 of the Midwives were in the employ of the Council and the other
Midwife was a Domiciliary Midwife in the employ of the Salvation Army.
Medical aid was sought in 16 instances where the infant was found to
have inflamed or discharging eyes. Three of the cases were subsequently
notified as suffering from Ophthalmia Neonatorum. In all cases the
condition of the eyes cleared satisfactorily.
The Council has adopted the suggestion of the Minister of Health that
they should refrain from exercising their power of recovery of the fee of the
Medical Practitioner under Section 14 (4) of the Midwives Act, 1918, in
this class of case.
Council District Midwifery Service.—During the year 821 cases were
attended by the eleven Council District Midwives. In 447 cases the midwives
were engaged to attend as midwives and in 374 as maternity nurses. The
cases resided in the following wards : Barkingside 173 ; North Hainault 127;
Cranbrook 49; Park 48; Seven Kings 92 ; South Hainault 106 ; Loxford 105;
Clementswood 80; Goodmayes41.
4,247 ante-natal visits were made during the year.
49 medical practitioners are now participating in the Council's scheme
for the ante-natal examination of patients who have engaged a Council
Midwife to attend them.
Fifty-five patients were referred by the private Doctors to the Council's
Consulting Obstetrician at the Ante-Natal Clinic for a further opinion.
23 of these women and 23 other patients who had engaged a Council Midwife
(24 as a midwife and 22 as a maternity nurse) were, for various reasons,