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Clinics.
There are five Municipal and seven Voluntary Maternity and
Child Welfare Centres in the Borough, all of which are wellattended
and utilised by the mothers of the districts in which they
are situated. There is no area of the Borough which is now
inaccessible to a Welfare Centre. At each of the five Municipal
Clinics Antenatal and Infant Welfare Centres are held weekly;
postnatal examinations are held at the Antenatal Session where
required, but the necessity for a routine examination after confinement
has not yet been established in the minds of the mothers.
The Antenatal Clinics are well attended, not only by young
primipara, but by older mothers who now realise that they
should have regular supervision during pregnancy. Dental treatment
for expectant and nursing mothers and for young children
is arranged through the Clinics and carried out in the wellequipped
dental departments of the three permanent Municipal
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics, and also at the Plaistow
Maternity Hospital. Antenatal Sessions are held at four of the
Voluntary Centres, and one or more Infant Welfare Sessions
take place weekly at each of the seven Voluntary Clinics.
Owing to the increased attendance at the Clinics a part-time
Assistant Medical Officer for Maternity and Child Welfare was
appointed in September, 1932, to attend at two sessions weekly.
A third infant Welfare Session has now been established at
Forest Gate Clinic.
It is impressed on all mothers who attend with their infants
that they should attend regularly if the infant or child is to benefit
fully from the advice and help given at the Clinics. As a rule, at
the Municipal Centres a young infant is seen by the doctor once
a month ; naturally this varies according to the infant, who may
require much closer supervision ever a difficult period. A toddler
is seen at least once a quarter. While many mothers realise
the necessity of regular attendance, it was found that a certain
number only attended for advice on one or two occasions, usually
in respect of some special defect, e.g., dental caries, congenital
defect in the infant, etc. In order that such absentees may again
be brought into touch with the Clinic, a system has been introduced
at the Municipal Clinics of sending "reminder" post cards
after three months' absence, making a definite appointment for
the child to be seen again by the Clinic Doctor. These post cards
do much good, not only by bringing back mothers who might
otherwise drift, but by making them realise that it is highly
desirable for them to attend periodically, even if the child is
apparently in good health. Through attendance at the Clinic the
mother is put in touch with many facilities offered by the Council's
Maternity and Child Welfare and other schemes, viz., convalescence
for mothers with young infants, dental treatment for
expectant and nursing mothers and young children, sunlight and
orthopoedic treatment, convalescence for young children, and
many other facilities.
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