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23
and most urgently needed. However, in my opinion, the
question of extension must be considered with a wider field
of view in mind as to the future needs of the Borough.
The demand for Maternity Hospital beds is a yearly increasing
need, so that whatever additions are made on the
present limited site in Widmore Road, will become inadequate
to meet the demands of the near future. It follows
that before expending large sums of voluntarily subscribed
money this aspect of the question should be closely
investigated. A new site sufficient for the building- of
modern maternity wards to meet the present and future demands
of a greater Bromley, and a rapidly increasing
population in the surrounding County, appears to me to
be the only economical method of development.
The number of cases admitted by us to the Maternity
Hospital, and who received financial aid was 15. In addition
35 cases were referred to the Hospital without financial
aid. One case was referred to a London Hospital.
There are within the Borough ten institutions, provided
by volutary effort and private persons, coming within
the category of Maternity Homes and Hospitals, and
registered under the Nursing Homes Registration Act,
1927. Including the Maternity Hospital, these institutions
provide 24 maternity beds, to which 2G6 maternity cases
were admitted during 1930.
One Maternity Home, which was in existence prior
to the Nursing Homes Registration Act, has resident unqualified
staff. The Act made no provision for the refusal
of registration of such Maternity Homes.
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.
The arrangements with the Sevenoaks Isolation Hospital
for treatment, isolation, etc., of these cases, are still
in force, and during the year we had occasion to admit
one case.