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Lower Clapton Road, at the beginning of 1928, and a statement on the
working of the Clinic appears on page 46.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
The year's working of the Municipal Centre at 28, Lower Clapton
Road, which includes Ante-natal, Child Welfare, Light, and Dental
Clinics is described fully on pages 83 to 86 of this Report.
The Light Clinic opened on January 14th, 1926, and one session
of two hours weekly is held. The lamp is a KBB type K lamp,
Mercury Vapour; the amperage, starting, is 4.5, running 2.7, series
resistance 44 ohms; the current used is direct, 240 volts. Dr. Gere
has treated 77 cases successfully this year, the length of time required
for treatment varying from 4 weeks in skin diseases to 6 months in
that troublesome condition, rickets.
An arrangement has been made with the British Red Cross Clinic,
Dalston Lane, to supply Dr. Gere with X-Ray photographs of the
rickets cases, so that the improvement in the bone condition can be
noted. Dr. Gere has also had good results following the irradiation of
dried milk. Arrangements have now been made for X-Ray examination
of expectant mothers at the Hackney Hospital in those cases
where the Clinic medical officers suspect the presence of twins or other
unusual type of pregnancy.
The value of the Dental Clinic has also been proved beyond question
by the results of the year's working. Dental work of every
description, including the fitting of dentures and the necessary treatment
for some very severe cases, has been most satisfactorily carried
out. Cases of such severity as to require a general anaesthetic which
was administered by Dr. Montague Smith numbered 157, and a local
anaesthetic was required in 46 cases.
Dentures were fitted to 64 nursing and expectant mothers, at a
total cost of £88 12s. 3d., £37 Is. 3d. being recovered in contributions.
The scheme under which there is an exchange of information
between midwives and the Ante-natal Centres has continued to operate
during the year with success, and is of undoubted value in preventing
the disabilities that sometimes arise as the result of childbirth.
During the year under review the Ministry of Health approved
the decision of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee to pay a
fee of sixpence to midwives for each report of a confinement sent to
the Medical Officers of the Ante-natal Centres.
On the 3rd September, 1929, an Ante-natal Centre was opened at
the Northwold Road Centre, thus making provision for the care of
expectant mothers residing in the northern part of the Borough.
B