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Since the staff of health visitors was increased the time available for home visiting has been
reduced by the provision of the open-air school, an additional session at Cranford welfare
centre, the artificial sunlight clinic and ante-natal clinics at Hounslow. One health visitor devotes
the whole of her time to the open-air school and the remaining 11 health visitors devote on an
average half of their time to maternity and child welfare work. This is equivalent to 121
sessions per fortnight but so great is the call on their time for clinics, etc., that only 40 sessions
per fortnight are available for home visiting. No allowance for holidays or sick leave has been
made in this calculation and if systematic home visiting is to maintain its true place in maternity
and child welfare work additional staff will be required.
Child Life Protection.
The Health Visitors undertake the duties of Child Protection Visitors and during 1938 they
made 663 visits in connection with this work. At the end of the year 56 persons were receiving
for reward 62 children as compared with 64 persons and 81 children at the end of 1937. No
legal proceedings were taken under the Acts relating to Child Life Protection. One foster child
died during 1938 but no inquest was held. Certificates of exemption were granted to the Royal
School for Naval and Marine Officers' Daughters, Nazareth House and Gumley House.
Dental Treatment of Mothers and Children.
Dental treatment is available for expectant and nursing mothers and for children under
school age. Cases are referred from the Ante-Natal and Child Welfare Clinics and the work
is carried out by the School Dental Officers at the dental clinics. No separate sessions are
arranged for such cases. The following details of the work have been supplied by the Supervisory
Dental Officer:—
Attendances—mothers and children
Number of extractions—mothers—general anaesthetic
local anaesthetic
Number of extractions—children—general anaesthetic
local anaesthetic
Fillings—Mothers, 480; Children, 284
Number of dentures supplied to mothers—upper
lower
Number of individual mothers supplied with dentures
Administrations of general anaesthetic
Dressings
Number of impressions taken
Number of cases charted and estimated
Silver Nitrate treatment
Scaling and polishing
Treatment of gums
Advice re dental condition and care of teeth, etc.
3,776
1,841
49
989
31
764
125
112
132
739
233
277
390
530
101
48
262
Expectant mothers who require dental treatment and whose general or dental condition is
such that they require in-patient treatment are sent to the Eastman Dental Clinic and 5 cases
were referred there for treatment during 1938.
Voluntary Helpers.
At all Ante-Natal and Child Welfare Clinics the Department is fortunate in having the
assistance of a number of voluntary workers. The help of these ladies and their gifts of toys,
clothing, etc., are greatly appreciated.
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