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Stratford Day Nursery.
The Stratford Day Nursery is provided by a Voluntary Association,
but receives a grant from the Council. It is the only
institution of its kind in the Borough, and serves a useful purpose
in helping the mothers who are obliged to leave their young
children daily while they go out to work. There is accommodation
at the Nursery for fifty children from early infancy to school age.
During 1935 there were 7,146 total attendances, making an
average daily attendance of 31 children. The Association makes
a daily charge of 8d. per child, which includes three meals.
Sunlight Treatment for Children under 5 years of age.
This specialised treatment can be obtained at the Stratford
Day Nursery Sunlight Clinic, under the supervision of Dr. Eva
Morton. The arrangement made in 1928 between the Maternity
and Child Welfare Committee and the Committee of the Day
Nursery is still in force, whereby young children may be drafted
for treatment from any of the Welfare Centres in the Borough,
through the Medical Officer of Health. These children attend
twice weekly, a Municipal Health Visitor being in attendance at
these two sessions. In addition the Sunlight Clinic is open on
three sessions per week for the treatment of those children not
subsidised bv the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme.
Many of the children are referred on account of anaemia
and general debility with flabby musculature, or for debility after
an acute illness: a marked improvement is evident in certain cases
who attend regularly over a period of several weeks.
Attendances at the Sunlight Clinic.
(1) Municipal Clinic. (2 sessions per week)
Total number of new cases 118
Total attendances for treatment 2190
(2) Day Nursery Clinic. (3 sessions per week)
Total number of new cases 117
Total attendances for treatment 3793
Hospitals for Children under 5 years of age.
Children under 5 years of age requiring hospital treatment
can be admitted to St. Mary's Hospital, Plaistow, and
to the Invalid and Crippled Children's Hospital, Balaam Street,
Plaistow. The beds at St. Mary's Hospital are occupied mainly bv
acute medical and surgical cases. At the Invalid and Crippled
Children's Hospital the Council retain a ward of 16 cots, to which
all cases for admission are referred through the Senior Assistant
Medical Officer for Maternity and Child Welfare. Such cases are
usually recommended from the various Welfare Centres for
treatment for marasmus, rickets, malnutrition, and dietetic disorders
of infancy and early childhood.
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