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151
The arrangements with chemists for the dispensing of prescriptions
on terms similar to those under the National Insurance
Act, have been continued.
The original Clinic at Hounslow was held in the Council
House, but the accommodation was so cramped in the waiting room
that it was a wonder that so many mothers attended. The new
premises in Douglas Road give ample space for everything and the
result has been that the average attendance has improved considerably,
rising from 35.6 in 1924 to 57.6 in 1925.
The premises at Isleworth are unsatisfactory, in that it is impossible
to shut out the noise of the waiting room which is only
shut off from the consulting room by a folding wood and glass parpition.
In addition to this there is frequent trouble with the fire
in the winter, making it almost impossible at times to carry on,
on account of smoke. The waiting room is not easy to ventilate
and becomes oppressively stuffy in Winter time.
The great difficulty in conducting the Clinics, is the shortness
of helpers in that there is so much to do with the crowd of mothers
that there is no time for the Health Visitors to give talks. An
attempt is being made at Douglas Road to institute sewing classes.
In addition to the Infant Consultations, there is an Ante-natal
Clinic held twice a month (on the first and third Mondays in each
month) at the Council House and the numbers are slowly growing.
There are at present no facilities for dental treatment either
for the child under five, or for expectant and nursing mothers.
There is no doubt that a large number of the children who present
such dirty mouths on examination at school would have been saved
this condition if they had been dealt with during the pre-school age,
whilst attending the Infant Welfare Clinics. One repeatedly finds
that there is a gap in the attendance of certain children who up to
the age of about 18 months or so have attended the Clinic very