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supervising authority under the Midwives' Acts, 1902, and 1918, of paying
fees to medical practitioners called to the assistance of midwives. The
London County Council in consequence is preparing a scheme for the
County of London, and the Borough Council scheme has no longer any
raison d'etre.
During the 13 months the Borough Council's scheme was in operation,
24 cases were attended by doctors at the request of midwives at a total
cost of £38 6s. 6d. (£1 10s. 11d. per case); and contributions to the amount
of £9 13s., or 25 per cent., were received from patients.
On the 9th November, 1918, the Borough Council approved of
a scheme for the provision of a maternity nurse for necessitus women in
Chelsea. Under this scheme, which relates to women who will be
attended in their confinements by medical practitioners or by the extern
maternity department of St. George's Hospital, a maternity nurse can be
chosen by the patient from amongst the midwives residing and
practising in the Borough, whose names are on the Midwives' Roll of the
Central Midwives' Board, the Borough Council paying the fee of the
maternity nurse up to a sum not exceeding £1 5s. A condition precedent
to the granting of an application for the services of a maternity nurse is
to be the undertaking by the patient to pay such sum as a contribution
towards the cost of the maternity nurse as a Sub committee of the
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee may determine.
This scheme has received the approval of the Local Government
Board.
In the autumn of 1918, a scheme for the Supply of Milk at less
than current selling price was brought into operation under the powers
conferred by the Milk (Mothers and Children) Order, 1918. It applies
to necessitous women with families of children, except those who are in
receipt of Separation Allowances under Military or Naval Regulations,
who can obtain milk orders from the War Pensions Committee. Applications
for milk, when received, are submitted to a sub-committee of the
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee to determine in each case the
reduction in current price suitable to the circumstances of the applicant.
Applications have to be made on special forms and require to be endorsed
by a Health Visitor or by some Institution which has knowledge of the
applicants needs and circumstances.
Measles caused 14 deaths in 1918, as compared with 6 in 1917, 5 in
1916, and 39 in 1915. There were 5 deaths under 1 year of age, 4 between
1 and 2 vears, 4 between 2 and 5 years, and 1 over 5 year.