[Report 1948] / Medical Officer of Health, Birkenhead County Borough.

  • Birkenhead (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1948
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1948] / Medical Officer of Health, Birkenhead County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/74 (page 29)
    MATERNITY & CHILD WELFARE This service was further extended by tlie opening of a new Clinic at the Church Hail, Upton, on 5th October. This clinic, which is held on Tuesday afternoons, obviates the necessity of Upton residents travehing to the North Health Clinic, Birkenhead, and is now being well attended by inothers in that district. Owing to the extension at the Dental Clinic, Mount Grove, neces- sitated by the appointnient of an additional Dental Officer, the accoin- niodation there for a Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic became no longer available. This Clinic, which was held on Uriday afternoons, was transferred to the former tSkin Clinic, Balls Koad, on 9th July. Under the new Act, the Local Authority is required to j^rovide dental treatment for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and for cliildren under five years of age. Owing to the shortage of dentists, it was found impossible for the time being to formulate a scheme to operate within the Local Authority's jurisdiction, but interim arrangements were made, the success of which have exceeded expectations. These arrangements were made possible only by the willing co- operation of local Dental Surgeons, and I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Boland Lees, Hon. Secretary, and the members of the Birkenhead Dental Committee for their ready response and help in enabling the Local Authority to comply with the requirements of ihe Act. Briefly, the arrangements were that every expectant motlier or nursing mother attending an ante- or post-natal clinic, was given a form by the IMedical Officer to take to a dental surgeon in practice near her home. On presenting this form, the dentist in question arranged tor priority treatment to be given to the patient. There has been a good response on the part or the patients, and tlie Medical Officers of the Maternity and Cliild Welfare Clinics have reported a great improvement in the condition of the teeth and dental hygiene of the mothers. It was further noticeable during the last two months of the year that several expectant mothers liad, prior to present- ing themselves at the Clinics, already availed themselves of the facili- ties for dental treatment provided under the new Act. It has been noticed that the majority of mothers are not breast feeding their babies, and that National Dried klilk is increasing in favour as a food, probably on account of its inexpensiveness. The attendance of under 12 months remains satisfactory, but afte]- this age tends to decline. It has also been observed that the numljer of adopted babies attend- ing the clinics has increased. It is gratifying to note that rnotliers are now beginnng to realise the importance of Immunisation against Diphtheria, and the response to the facilities offered at the clinics is good. Bequests for combined diphtheria and whooping cough immunisation are increasing.