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" dried milk," and certain other special foods for their infants,
and in necessitous cases these are supplied free of charge.
Free supplies—usually in the form of " dried milk "—are
allowed upon application, and after investigation of the case,
where the total income of the family, after allowing for rates,
rent and railway fares, does not exceed 7s. per week per head.
When such income amounts to between 7s. and 8s., foods are
supplied at half price.
Thirty-nine new applications were allowed during the
year, four from expectant mothers, and thirty-five from
nursing mothers, while there are on the average approximately
forty always on the free list.
Where children are found to need orthopaedic treatment
they are sent to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.
The Council do not provide Hospital treatment for
nursing mothers or young children, but the demand is
adequately met by the Chiswick General Hospital.
Unmarried mothers are admitted to the Maternity
Hospital for the first child, and subsequent confinements (if
any) sent to the West Middlesex Hospital at Isleworth. All
are advised to attend the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics.
The Chiswick Day Nursery or Creche, was originally
built and financed by Mr. D. Mason, and was presented to
the district and formally taken over by the Council on 1st
April, 1924. The building is of modern construction of the
one storey type, and consists of one large Nursery divided by
a partition to form two Nurseries of 13 feet by 16 feet, and
24 feet by 16 feet, opening to a covered verandah, also cloakroom,
bath-room, lavatories, wash-house, and kitchen for use in
connection with the infants. In addition, the staff accommodation
consists of two bedrooms, sitting-room, bath-room
and lavatories. The building is heated by fire grates and
closed stoves, and there is a boiler for supplying hot water.
Central heating and a better receiving room would be
advantageous, but otherwise construction and equipment
leaves nothing to be desired.
The Creche, which has a Staff of the Matron, Sister,
three Probationers and Maid, provides accommodation during
the day for those infants whose mothers are compelled to go
out to work. All children attending are undressed and bathed
on admission, being provided with clothes belonging to the
Creche for use during the day, during which time their own