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11
The Health Visitor, Mrs. Wild, continued her very useful work
among- the mothers and infants. That her work is of the very utmost
importance I am convinced, and there are instances where, but for her
timely help, disaster would have occurred. She has paid 892 visits to
maternity cases (as compared with 894 visits in similar cases in 1918),
and 12 to cases of Measles; and she has given useful help in cases of
Scabies, Erysipelas and Ophthalmia. She visits also the Wanstead and
Woodford Infant Welfare Centre every week and takes a special interest
in those mothers and infants of Wanstead who attend there. As
instructed she places great stress on the importance of breast feeding,
and all mothers are encouraged to adhere to nature's method; and the
great majority of them wisely accept th:s counsel. A proprietary
preparation is advised or supplied to mothers when the breast milk is
scanty, and this is usually found to be helpful.
It is a wise and useful policy for every expectant mother to
consult her doctor from time to time during her pregnancy. She is thus
in a position to be guided in reference both to the care of her own
health and the welfare of her expected child.
The Health Visitor is able to carry this and other suggestions
into a good many homes, and so to promote the welfare of mothers and
infants without in any fashion incurring responsibilities which can only
be undertaken by medical practitioners. In recent years so many young
women have been separated from the usual opportunities of domestic
training that they are ill-prepared to start homes and to train families
of their own. Thus home visitation by a kindly, tactful and helpful
visitor has an increased opportunity.
•
In view of the danger of Summer Diarrhoea, circulars setting
forth the Prevention and Treatment of this malady, and one having
reference to the Danger from Flies, were distributed. There were no
deaths from epidemic diarrhoea.
MILK
The supervision of this important article of diet is undertaken
by the County Authorities, but in cases of specific complaint I occasionally
have samples taken and submitted for analysis. Two such
investigations were carried out in 1919, and in both instances the milk
was of high quality but of somewhat unusual taste, owing to the food
of the cows having been changed. Most of the milk supplied is
imported.
The ideal of a clean and tuberculosis-free milk supply is always
in one's mind, and we are fortunate in having close to our borders and
supplying a number of the families in the district one herd of milch
cows which are regularly tested for tuberculosis. The competition thus
engendered may in time lead to the establishment of other carefully
selected and supervised herds.
Milk has been supplied by the Council to mothers and young
children to the following amount, viz. : 280 pints in twelve cases during
the last three months of the year.