London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bermondsey 1944
Report on the sanitary condition of the Borough of Bermondsey for the year 1944
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V.—MATERNITY AND CHILD
WELFARE.
FAIRBY GRANGE CONVALESCENT HOME. The total number of patients received into the home during the year, including mothers, babies and toddlers, was 273.
| Number of women admitted | 135 |
| Number of babies admitted | 56 |
| Number of toddlers admitted | 82 |
PREMATURE CHILDREN—ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN —
HOME HELPS CHILI) LIFE PROTECTION.
Special care has been taken of premature infants in- order to
secure for them the best possible chance of survival. The premature
births number forty-two for the year and include five sets of twins;
three pairs of twins died almost immediately after birth; the other
four babies survived and are now flourishing infants. Seven other
babies died in addition to the three pairs of twins, thus making a total
of thirteen deaths for the year. Only one of these infants survived
more than a few hours. One infant was admitted to a day nursery
at five months, since the mother was compelled to go out to work,
and we were able to give the baby special attention in the nursery.
The number of illegitimate children in this borough has always
been small; at present 52 are known to us. Besides the usual regular
visitation by the Health Visitor, these homes are all visited at intervals
by the Lady Almoner with the object of helping the mother with
problems other than those merely of health. The Borough scheme
provides for the guaranteed payment of foster-mothers and the provision
of Home Helps. The number of cases in which home helps
were provided during the year was twenty-five. Great difficulty has
been experienced in obtaining them, and the matter has been repeatedly
before the Committee. At present there is only one whole-time home
help, but occasional assistance is obtained from women employed on
a part-time basis and engaged to help specified patients. The difficulty
appears to be due partly to the nature of the work and partly to the
relatively inadequate rates of pay permitted for this kind of work.
There were no foster-mothers, legally so described, in the Borough
during the year, but there are known to us one or two cases where
children have been cared for by people other than their parents. In
some cases this has been the prelude to adoption. These homes have
also been visited by the Lady Almoner from time to time.