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(b) That no reduction or alteration of such service is made
without the consent of the Council.
(c) That such service and any premises in which it is carried
on are open to inspection at all reasonable times by any
officer of the Council duly authorised by the Council and
by any officer of the Ministry appointed for that purpose
by the Minister.
(d) That the Association sends to the Council each year a
copy of its annual report on its Maternity and Child Welfare
work for the previous year, together with a statement of
accounts for that year relating to such work, and a copy
of the Auditor's certificate thereon, and also furnishes the
Council from time to time with such other information
relating to the Maternity and Child Welfare service provided
by the Association and the expenditure thereon as the
Council may reasonably require.
It is further provided that the Council shall not, except with the
consent of the Minister, terminate or make any reduction in the
annual contribution payable to an Association in respect of any
service on the ground that any of the foregoing conditions are not
fulfilled in the case of that service.
The Maternity Home
The Council's Maternity Home, at 210, Knight's Hill, maintained
its successful career during the year although for a short period
at the end of September the Home was closed owing to a minor
outbreak of puerperal fever. Arrangements were made at the time
with the County Council who accepted 15 cases into the municipal
hospitals who would otherwise have entered the Home.
The outbreak was due to the Streptococcus Haemolyticus. This
organism was isolated from each of the four cases and as the result
of examination of throat swabs, was also recovered from three of
the eight members of the nursing staff. Scarlet fever was prevalent
at the time among the general population and opportunities of
picking up the organism by the staff were no doubt increased
thereby.
Thorough routine disinfection was carried out and no other cases
occurred, but the successful suppression of the outbreak was
undoubtedly due to placing off duty until free from infection, those
members of the staff found to be harbouring the S. Haemolyticus.