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44
Outbreak of Pemphigoid Blisters.
An outbreak of pemphigoid blisters occurred in the Home during August, ten babies developing
a rash in the Home and fourteen after discharge. One case was severe, being accompanied by inflammation
of the eyes, but there were no deaths. The usual investigations were made into the cause of
the outbreak, but with a negative result. Pemphigus occurs fairly frequently in Maternity Homes
and has, I understand, been prevalent in London in the last year or two. Much research has been
carried out into the causes. It is usually found that a worker in some way connected with the staff,
patients or laundry harbours the causative staphylococcus or streptococcus, but in a major proportion
of outbreaks it is not possible to identify this individual.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE CENTRES.
There are three Maternity and Child Welfare Centres in the Borough, namely, 90-92, Greyhound
Road, 170, Wandsworth Bridge Road, and 5, Parson's Green, S.W.6.
Ante-natal and infant welfare sessions are held at all three clinics ; toddlers' sessions at
Parson's Green and Wandsworth Bridge ; dental sessions at Greyhound Road and Parson's Green.
The artificial sunlight department at Parson's Green is of great value not only for children, but also
for expectant and nursing mothers.
All mothers receiving milk at cost or reduced price, or free, must attend an infant welfare
centre and be under medical supervision, and many children are thus kept under routine medical
supervision whose parents' circumstances would make this impossible otherwise. This is all to the
good, but the percentage of children in the Borough attending for this purpose is still below what
it should be, and it is evident that many mothers in the Borough fail to recognise the importance of
preventive medicine.
Upon the reception of a notification of birth in the Borough, a special letter is sent to the
mother urging upon her the necessity for a post-natal examination within a few weeks of the confinement.
This service of the Council is not yet fully appreciated, as only 12 per cent, of the mothers
made routine visits within two months of labour. Two post-natal sessions are held at Parson's Green
weekly.
A gynaecological and birth control clinic is held once weekly at Greyhound Road.
The two weekly all-day breast-feeding sessions, one at Greyhound Road and one at Parson's
Green, have had very low attendances. To these sessions mothers may come from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Their babies may be left, between feeds, in the care of a Health Visitor. The difficulty of convincing
mothers of the supreme importance of breast-feeding is ever present.
There has been an increase in the social activities of the Department during the year, due in
great measure to the indefatigable efforts of the Chairman, Councillor Mrs. J. Marsh. In addition
to the Keep Fit Classes carried on weekly at Greyhound Road and Parson's Green, there have been
socials and whist drives arranged at Parson's Green for clinic mothers and their friends, and this
has brought some fathers into personal contact with the clinics.
A weekly sewing class has been re-established and takes place at Greyhound Road; one ran
for many years under the auspices of the former Voluntary Infant Welfare Centre Committee.
Upon the mother depends, in large measure, the contentment and well-being of the family
and great emphasis is laid on this point. The presence in the Borough of such open spaces as Eelbrook
Common, Parson's Green, the Recreation Ground, South Park, and Bishop's Park, is in itself an
important factor towards this end. The supervision of the mother has always been a definite part
of the work of the clinics.
We are fortunate in having devoted voluntary workers at both infant clinics and Keep Fit
Classes; without their services the work would not go so smoothly. The Free Church Women's
Guild continued their voluntary services for the making of tea for the mothers; to all these we offer
our sincere appreciation and thanks.