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The Mid-wives Act, 1936, imposed upon the local supervising
authority, which for London is the London County Council, the
duty of securing that the number of certified midwives available for
attendance on women in their own homes is adequate for the needs
of the area. The L.C.C. have accordingly appointed midwives
under the Act for duty in Camberwell commencing from January 1st,
1938.
Payment of Midwives Fees.
During the year the fees of private practising midwives were
paid in seven cases for professional services rendered to mothers at
the time of confinement following investigation into the economic
circumstances of the applicants.
Supply of Meals to Expectant and Nursing Mothers.
In addition to the provision of milk, expectant and nursing
mothers are eligible to receive a mid-day meal on the recommendation
of a Clinic Medical Officer, and during the period covered by
this report 39 mothers took advantage of this service.
Applicants are required to attend an approved dining-room or
an Invalid Kitchens of London Centre for this purpose.
This scheme was reviewed during the year, the Maternity and
Child Welfare Committee being empowered to grant meals to
necessitous mothers for such periods as they may decide.
The influence of the Council's Milk and Meals schemes on
maternal mortality or morbidity cannot be accurately assessed,
but it must be apparent that an adequate amount of suitable food
is essential to maintain the general health and powers of resistance
to disease of the mother and for the proper development of the
foetus.
Milk Distribution Scheme.
Both dried and fresh cows' milk is provided by the Council for
necessitous, expectant and nursing mothers and children under the
age of five years not attending school.
Applicants desiring the assistance of this scheme are required
to attend the Infant Welfare Centre for the district with their
children in order to obtain a certificate from the Clinic Medical
Officer that an issue of milk is necessary for health reasons. The
choice of the milk supplied is left to the applicant.
Inquiries are made in every case into the financial circumstances
of the applicants as a safeguard against any abuse of this service.
Issues are made usually for a period of 28 days and during the year
5245 applications were received. The number of families benefiting
under this Scheme was 1305.