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73
admission of cases to certain of the M.A.B. Hospitals. Many patients,
however, are unwilling to enter an institution situated at any considerable
distance from their homes.
During the year the Public Health Committee recommended that an
annual grant be made by the Borough Council to the Ormond Maternity
Home in Blantyre Street, whereby two beds would be available for
necessitous cases in the Borough, wherever the home circumstances
rendered safe confinement improbable or where for any medical reason
confinement in an efficient maternity home was desirable. The Borough
Council did not accept this recommendation, deeming that existing
facilities for institutional treatment were adequate.
INFANT MORTALITY.
Infant mortality is reviewed in Section I of this report and the incidence
of ophthalmia neonatorum is set out in Section VI. Appended to this
report is a diagram showing the decline in infant mortality in the Borough
since 1901.
ANTE-NATAL WORK.
The work of ante-natal consultations is growing as it becomes better
known amongst mothers in the Borough. Sound advice, based on the
most recent scientific investigation, is provided by the medical officer
of the Ante-natal Clinic. Every effort is being made to ensure that
mothers will take full advantage of the excellent arrangements made
by the Chelsea Health Society so that as far as possible all risk of disease
and accident incidental to child-birth may be removed.
SUPPLY OF MILK AT LESS THAN COST PRICE.
Provision is made under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918,
whereby milk is provided in necessitous cases free or at less than cost
price.
The Milk and Welfare Sub-Committee meets weekly at the Town Hall
to consider applications.
Free milk is supplied when the total income of the family, after deducting
rent and insurance, does not exceed 5s. per head per week. Milk
is supplied to other cases on the following basis:—
Nett available income 5s. to 6s. at the rate of 1d. per pint.
.» 6s. to 7s. „ ,, 1½d. „
,, ,, 7s. to 8s. ,, ,, 2d. ,,
.. ,, 8s. to 9s. ,, ,, 2½d. ,,
The following table shows, for the years 1921-1925, the extent of
this service:—