View report page

24
BOROUGH OF BROMLEY.
Health Visitor's Report for 1919.
The number of births notified in 1919 amounted to 581, an
increase of 90 over the previous year. Of these 87 were attended
solely by midwives and 112 took place in the Maternity Hospital.
There were 17 still births as compared with 10 in 1918. Notices were
received from the Master of Farnborough Workhouse and Medical
Officer of other districts as to 24 incoming infants. These were
visited as were also the infants notified by the Infant Life Protection
Officers as boarded out in the Borough. The work under the Milk
(Mothers and Infants) Order 1918 has much increased owing to the
high price of milk and the unemployment. All applicat;ons were carefully
enquired into by your Health Visitor and reported to the Sub
Committee. 324 Orders were issued for varying periods at a reduction
of fiom fourpence to eightpence per quart, and in cases of extreme
poverty free grants were made.
Through the courtesy of the Infant Health Society I continued
to visit the Infant Welfare Centres at Bromley Common and at
Kitchener Club until October, when the work was taken over by the
Council. From that date I acted as Superintendent of the Centres.
The Town Centre was transferred to St. Mary's Church Hall as being
more suitable premises, and a new Centre opened in the Wesleyan
Hall at Widmore. At the end of the year the average weekly attendance
at the three Centres amounted to 80 mothers and 100 infants.
Drs. Cogswell, McArthur, and Montgomery have continued to act as
honorary Medical Officers at the Clinics, and we are indebted also to
the band of ladies who have given such excellent voluntary help.