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9
become a burden or an added expense to the country at a later
stage of existence. The services that prevent the mortality are
preventing the crippling.
The cost of the Maternity and Child Welfare service for the
coming financial year amounts to a rate of 0 8 pence, which, of
course, includes the new centre at 28, Lower Clapton Road.
Probably the most useful step that could be taken for the
preservation of health at the age periods immediately below the
school age would be the provision of Nursery Schools. Unfortunately
these institutions do not fall within the scope of Metropolitan
Borough Councils, although for many years past a
considerable number of Borough Councils have been anxious to
open these schools which have proved their usefulness in Deptford
and in other Boroughs. At a Conference of Metropolitan Borough
Councils, held at Islington on the 10th April, 1923, a deputation
was appointed which was received by the Children's Care SubCommittee
of the London County Council, but on the 26th July a
letter from the County Council was sent to Islington, stating that
they were unable to organise additional Nursery Schools.
The Council have intimated their willingness to carry out
the whole of the powers and duties under Section 6 (2) of the
Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925,
and have delegated these powers and duties to the Maternity and
Child Welfare Committee.
Arrangements have been made with the Metropolitan Hospital
to permit of the following-up of children who have been under
treatment at that institution; and at the British Red Cross Clinic,
for massage or other remedial treatment of children referred
from the centres, 38 cases have so far been granted massage.
As pointed out later in this report, the Committee are anxious
to improve the nursing service, co-operation between the midwives
and the Centres, and the arrangements for dealing with nonnotifiable
infectious disease.