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6
Midwife.
Forty-nine applications were received during the year 1922 from
necessitous women for the services of a midwife at less than cost price:
46 were granted, 2 were referred to the Guardians, and one was refused
as being over the standard for a necessitous case. Of the 46 applications
granted, 36 were supplied with a midwife, one application was withdrawn,
and 9 cases were still awaiting confinement at the end of the year. The
total number of necessitous women provided with a midwife under the
Council's scheme during 1922 was 45, of which number 29 were attended
by the Ormond Home for Midwives, 15 by Midwife Andrews, and one
by Midwife Cooke. The amount paid by the Council to the Midwives
was £29 8s. 6d., and £27 1s. 6d. is the amount of assessment paid, or to
be paid by the applicants as contributions to the midwife. The net cost
to the Borough is £29 8s. 6d., half of which is recovered as a grant
from the Ministry of Health
During 1922, 7 notifications were received from midwives under the
Midwives Acts, 1902 and 1918, of the substitution of artificial feeding
for breast feeding for various reasons.
Home-Help.
Thirty-six applications were received in 1922 from necessitous
women for the services of a Home-help during their confinements, and
31 were granted. Of this number 21 were supplied with the services of
a Home-help, 7 were withdrawn by the applicants, and 3 cases were still
awaiting confinement at the end of the year. The total number of cases
receiving the services of a Home-help under the Council's scheme in 1922
was 27. The total amount paid by the Council to Home-helps for their
services was £85 9s. 11d., and the amount of contributions assessed to
patients was £22 12s. 2d., leaving a balance of £62 17s. 9d., as the net
cost to the Borough, half of which is recovered as a grant from the
Ministry of Health.
Convalescent Homes.
Twenty-seven applications were received for convalescence of
mothers with their infants under the Council's scheme in 1922. All the
applications were granted, but only 14 of the mothers were sent away.
The payments to Homes made by the Council amounted to £26 12s. 9d.,
and the contributions of patients amounted to £5 7s. 6d. Eight mothers
were sent to Homes, apart from the Council's scheme. The average
duration of stay in the Homes is 2 weeks.
Chelsea Day Nursery, 65, Sydney-street.
The Chelsea Day Nursery was open throughout the year, except
for a period of a week at Easter, a week at Christmas, and three weeks
in May owing to the prevalence of Measles. The total number of attendances
of children was 5,355, as against 4,649 in 1921. The average daily
attendance (5 days a week), was 23, as against 18 in 1921, and 21 in
1920. Dr. Alice Benham is the Medical Officer of the Nursery, and medical
attendant of the Staff. A fortnightly medical inspection is made of the
children.