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9S
Nurse Hastings, the Superintendent, gives short addresses to
the mothers on matters relating to the health of themselves and the
babies, once a week, and Nurse Cripps gives general assistance.
Mrs. Eggar has given very regular and valued help with the work ;
also Mrs. Christie kindly assists with the weighing and other matters,
likewise Miss McAnaly has attended regularly since the opening of
the Centre, and gives much general assistance.
(Sgd.) E. J. F. Moore, M.D.
ACCOMMODATION FOR UNMARRIED MOTHERS
AND THEIR CHILDREN.
In June I reported to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
that there is at the Hackney Infirmary accommodation for
destitute women, married or single, who require quarters during
the lying-in period. Also, the Salvation Army have four receiving
houses for expectant mothers who, when about actually to be confined
are removed to the Salvation Army's Mothers' Hospital. There
is, also, in Pembury Road, another house supported by voluntary
contributions, where some half-a-dozen expectant mothers can be
housed prior to their confinements, and subsequently with their
babies, during convalescence. These mothers mostly spend the
actual lying-in period in the City of London Maternity Hospitaj
in the City Road. There is, therefore, no urgent need for lying-in
accommodation. These institutions, however, do not provide for
the prolonged stay of mother and child, and there is no institution
in the Borough where mother and child can be kept together for a
considerable time on a scale sufficiently large to meet this requirement.
There is one such institution (of a religious character) at
Stamford Hill, but it is not reserved for Hackney cases. I see no
way of meeting this requirement other than by providing a special
institution for this purpose, for what may be called " the after-care
treatment of mother and child " in the interests of both.