View report page

obtain the services of a temporary Health Visitor. It is for
these reasons that the number of visits paid shows a considerable
reduction.
The total number of visits paid by the Health Visitors
during 1933 amounted to 4,321, the figure for the previous
year being 5,603.
The attendance of the children at the Centres has continued
to be most satisfactory. At the Pelham Centre the
average attendance per session was 84.35 as compared with
77.56 in 1932, 69 in 1931 and 64 in 1930.
The average attendance per session at the Wandle Park
Centre was 46.02, comparing very favourably with the figures
of 46.91 in 1932, 42 in 1931 and 40 in 1930.
The Ante-natal Clinic is held at Wandle Park House in
the afternoon on the second and fourth Thursdays in the
month. The average attendance per session at this Clinic
was 5.83. The figure for the previous year was eight.
The total number of expectant mothers who attended at
the Ante-natal Clinic during the year was eighty-one, equal
to 14.21 per cent. of the total number of live- and still-births
notified. Two hundred and forty-four of these births were
attended by midwives.
It is most desirable that a larger number of expectant
mothers attended by midwives should be examined by a
doctor during the ante-natal period. The midwife may be
able to carry out her ante-natal examinations with considerable
skill and care, but unless an expectant mother is seen
by a doctor during this period she is precluded from having
an overhaul of her general health, which is so essential at
this time. It is to be hoped that the practising midwives
will realise the value of this and endeavour to co-operate
more completely, and to utilise more fully the facilities for
ante-natal care provided by the Council.
Steady attendance has been maintained at the classes
for mothers, which are held at both of the Centres. Home
nursing, mothercraft, hygiene, and singing, are taught. The
average attendance of mothers at the Pelham Centre was
25.63 and at the Wandle Pai-k Centre 13.51.
Steps are being taken at the latter Centre to provide a
separate singing class for the older mothers. It is felt that
most of the women attending these classes no longer require
the instruction which is being given, and every effort is being
made to encourage the younger mothers to attend. It is
22