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Maternity and Child Welfare. 71
Borough of Wandsworth War Memorial Maternity Home.
The Maternity Home is situated in Grove Road, Balham,
adjoining the Weir Hospital, and provides accommodation for
20 patients with two isolation beds. Since the 1st April, 1934,
the Home has been under the direct management of the Council.
The staff consists of a matron, three sisters, five nurses who
are trained midwives, and four probationers. There is also a rota
of local medical practitioners, one of whom is called in when the
services of a doctor are required. Three Obstetric Consultants
and one Ophthalmic Consultant have also been appointed to visit
the Home.
The fee charged for admission to the Home is based on the
income of the applicant's family in accordance with a scale which
has been approved by the Council. Each applicant is expected
to remain in the Home for 14 days.
During the past year 396 women were admitted to the Home
and the average duration of stay was 14.37 days. 331 deliveries
were carried out by the midwives, 64 by the medical staff, and
one women was confined before she was admitted.
In 171 cases it was necessary for the midwives to summon
medical assistance in accordance with the requirements of the
Midwives Act.
Nine cases of Puerperal Pyrexia were notified from the
Home, but there were no maternal deaths.
Eight of the infants were still-born.
One case of Ophthalmia Neonatorum was notified.
Every effort is made while the mothers are in the Maternity
Home, to encourage them to breast feed their infants, but in 43
cases the natural feeding had to be supplemented.
Obstetric Consultant Service.
Since the Public Health (Notification of Puerperal Fever and
Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations came into force in 1926, the
Council has made provision for an Obstetric Consultant to be