Evening journal., 1921-09-26
OPEN MORECITY
HEALTH CENTERS
Child Welfare Commissions
Newest Move Will be
Prenatal Clinics
TO FOLLOW UP
IN THE HOMES

The Child Walfare Commission
win open prenatal clinics at the
Naple. Porter and Kirkwood street
centers this week. The kirkwood
street center will boast OF other
clinics. it already having a dental,
eye. ear. nose and throat, baby and
older children's clinics at the pres
ent time.
ANOTHER new branch OF child well
fare work. nutrition class work, Is
to be introduced this week at the
colored center at S0i East Seventh
street. Each child joining the classes
will be given a booklet. on the blank
pages Of which he will write what
he has had for breakfast. and lunch,
and supper. and in the back OF
which is chart showing how to
count up how many calories and
vitamines were contained in the food
that he has eaten.
At the end OF the week Johnny
or Mary presents the book to be in
spected. and himself TO be weighed.
The child who has added the great
est amount OF weight during the
week receives a gold star. IL Johnny
or Mary is found TO have eaten the
proper diet and does not show q
proper gain. the medical inspectors
attention will be called to the fact,
and Johnny or Mary will be thor
oughly examined and told what
stands between him or her and the
coveted decoration.
The teaching Of healthful way OF
living, and the Importance OF a
friendly contact with the individual
as such. are two fundamental prin-
cipals OF the commissions work.
"Our work is altogether diff
fercnt from that OF a clinic" said DIT.
French. medical Inspector OF the
commission" in discussing the de-
velopments OF the work.
I'VE give medical advice rather
than treatment and because OF that
fact we are able TO take an indivld-
ual interest in each case. A clinic
ovcr-crowaed with children actu-
ally H. is able 70 do little more than
give the actual treatment required,
and has no opportunity to follow up
the treatment by keeping In touch
with both child and home.
Follow up work. and interest in
the child's home as well as in its
diet or nutrition are particular
functions Of the commissions work.
DR.. French pointed out
THE visiting nurse tells the
mother that her baby will be much
more healthy in a well ventilated
house. will thrive more on simple
foods, than on coffee and heavy
foods, and the mother in time learns
that what is good for the ailine
child Is good also for the entire fam
lily.
That the commission has been 81
successful in its winning the conn
dence Of the parents and Keeping il
friendly touch with them Is due 4
the fitness OF the nurses at the va
rious ccnters for this particula
phase OF the work as well as for tn
meGica. side.
I'VE are not a charitable orcani
zation.' Dr. French cmphaized. "bu
As democratic an organization as the
public school which offers rs services
alike TO the child Of the miliionair,
and the child OF the poorer citizen
And our nurses do not take the at
titude of giving charity nor of criti
cizing the parents. They meet tn,
parent on the basis OF mutual in
terest in the child's welfare, and give
their advices on that basis
The people in the various dis
tricts have been quick to respons
and each center reports a CONSTANT,
growing number OF new families
who are making use of the centers
The August figures given show IN,
amount of work that Is being don
by the organization in Wilmington
New cases admitted, 1885; return
visits, 1888; home visits. first visit
AL, OLD cases, 1852; transfers, Is
discharged, 81; died, 4
On Friday Of last week "a case
~ere examined at the Kirkwoo
Center, and II home cases wer
visited. While the number Of exam
nations at the center itself wa
somewhat larger than on other days
since It is on Friday evening that tn
children usually come in TO b
weighed, the number is not great
in excess Of that treated daily.
A visit TO any Of the centers make
apparent how we'll the commissio
has succeeded in making itself a sol
Of social center instead Of disper
sary.
At Kirkwood center on bah
clinic days the halls and stairway
are crowded with waiting mother
who chat cordially with each oths
in their native tongues, OF Polish Z
Italian; or in broken English,
case they are Of different nationa
tiles
Ninth and Union, situated on
corner and, flooded with sunshiI
from the large windows Of its tW
outer walls is a convenient ar
pleasant dropping-in place for Il
Italian mothers OF the district, wi
come in quite as often to report IN
the baby is getting on famously
to ask advice regarding a sick bah
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