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reports. It is only necessary to state therefore that it continues
in my opinion to exercise a marked effect on the health and welfare
of the working-class mother and child, where the financial state
of the family makes it impossible to provide an adequate supply
of this indispensable article of food.
Ante-Natal Work.
Very considerable progress was made in the development of
the Ante-Natal part of the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare
Scheme during the year, and an additional Ante-Natal Clinic was
opened at the East Battersea Welfare Centre (All Saints' Parish
Hall).
There are now four clinics established, viz.: at the Borough
Maternity Hospital, Bolingbroke Grove, the Latchmere Centre,
the Plough Road Centre and the All Saints' Hall Centre. The
popularity of these Clinics is shown by the great increase in the
attendances and it is only necessary to glance at the summarised
results of the year's work carried out at these Clinics to appreciate
the value of the results obtained. In addition to being centres for
the diagnosis of conditions which may seriously threaten the health
of the expectant and nursing mother, they are valuable educational
centres for the mothers as well as for the nidwives practising in the
Borough (many of whom make use of them), and for the pupilmidwives
undergoing their training at the Borough Maternity
Hospital. The clinic at the Maternity Hospital is specially equipped
for the examination of cases requiring more detailed examination,
and such cases are sent on from the other clinics for this purpose.
The total number of patients attending the ante-natal clinics
during 1922 was:—
Central Clinic (Borough Maternity Hospital) 321
Latchmere Clinic 279
Plough Road Clinic 196
All Saints' Hall Clinic (one session only held,
13th December) 7
Ante-Natal (V.D.) Clinic.
This interesting and useful feature of the Council's Maternity
and Child Welfare Scheme was added late in 1920, and during 1921
good progress was shown, the results of which were set out in the
Annual Report for that year. During 1922, the development of
the work was continued and the summarised returns set out below
indicate that satisfactory results are being obtained. Provision
is made both for in-patient and out-patient treatment. For inpatients
a few beds have been set apart in one of the Wards in
the Administrative block of the hospital. The out-patient clinic
is fully equipped with all requisites and appliances necessary for
the diagnosis and treatment of cases sent in from the Maternity
and Child Welfare Clinics and by the medical practitioners and
midwives. The clinic is under the direction of a Consultant, Dr.
A. C. Roxburgh, and is held weekly from 3 to 5 p.m.