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Infant Welfare Centres.—84 voluntary lady helpers were engaged
in the work at the Infant Welfare Centres at the end of December, 1944.
During the year the following attendances were recorded:—
Total number of attendances of infants 35,700
First attendances 2,048
Total number of children on roll, December 31st, after
omission of all those who had not attended for six
months 2,970
11,332 attendances of children from 1 to 5 years were made at the
Infant Welfare centres during the year.
Treatment of Minor Ailments.—Children suffering from simple
dietetic ailments are treated at the Infant Welfare Centres. 21 belts and
6 trusses have been supplied to infants suffering from hernia during 1944.
A certain number of infants were brought to the Clinics at Newbury Hall and
All Saints' Church Hall to receive treatment for minor ailments.
18 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. Four were treated free of charge as cases of necessity.
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, 21 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.
Three Midwives were suspended from practice for varying periods
following attendance on 2 cases rendering them liable to be a source of infection,
as follows:—
Notified cases of Pyrexia due to Pyelitis (1), and sub-involution (1).
Medical aid was sought in 7 instances where the infant was found to
have inflamed or discharging eyes. Two 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 836 cases were
attended by the eleven Council District Midwives. In 500 cases the midwives
were engaged to attend as midwives and in 336 as maternity nurses. The
cases resided in the following wards : Barkingside 185; North Hainault 135;
Cranbrook 41 ; Park 80; Seven Kings 89; South Hainault 109; Loxford 70;
Clementswood 76; Goodmayes 51.
4,317 ante-natal visits were made during the year.
52 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.
37 patients were referred by Private Doctors to the Council's Consultant
Obstetrician at the Ante-Natal Clinic for a further opinion. 20 of these
women and 35 other patients who had engaged a Council Midwife (29 as a
Midwife and 26 as a Maternity Nurse) were for various reasons admitted to
the Council's Maternity Home or other Institutions for confinement. 46
were admitted to the Maternity Home, 2 to the Ilford Isolation Hospital,
2 to the London Hospital, 1 to Oldchurch County Hospital, Romford, 1 to
Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, 1 to King George Hospital, Ilford, and
2 to Private Nursing Homes.