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36
In July, 1934, the council asked the Minister of Health to receive a deputation on the subject
of the relaxation of the conditions laid down in the Minister's memorandum 153/M.C.W. The
deputation attended the Ministry and were received by the Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Geoffrey
Shakespeare, M.P. They were informed that circular 1408 was being issued and that the Minister
thought this would meet the suggestions put forward by the council.
The new circular indicates that where a local authority have provided a clinic at which medical
advice and treatment are available for married women suffering from gynaecological conditions, and
at which contraceptive advice is afforded to married women so suffering in whose cases pregnancy
would be detrimental to health, it will be proper also for such advice to be given to married
women suffering from such organic diseases as tuberculosis, heart disease, diabetes, chronic
nephritis, etc. It also indicates that where such clinics are provided for women suffering from
forms of sickness other than gynaecological conditions, the interpretation of the meaning of
" sickness " is for the medical officer concerned.
I he council thereupon issued the following memorandum to the various infant welfare
institutions in the borough:—
1. The Kensington borough council desire to call special attention to the importance of
the avoidance of pregnancy by women suffering from organic diseases such as tuberculosis,
heart disease, diabetes, chronic nephritis, etc., in which child-bearing is likely to endanger
life seriously. They are further of the opinion that there are other forms of sickness, physical
and mental, in which pregnancy should be avoided if it is found medically that child-bearing
would be detrimental to health.
2. What is or is not medically detrimental to health must be decided by the professional
judgment of the medical officers at the infant welfare centres and at the birth control clinic,
but the council would specially mention that they have been advised that debility following
confinement and the necessity, for health reasons, for the spacing of births may be regarded
as medical grounds on which birth control advice may properly be given.
3. When there are medical grounds for giving advice on contraceptive methods to any
married woman in attendance at a Kensington infant welfare institution, the patient may
be referred to the North Kensington Women's Welfare Centre (birth control clinic), No. 12,
Telford Road. A certificate signed by one of the medical officers at the infant welfare
institution must be sent to the birth control clinic in respect of each woman so referred.
4. In the case of married women who are unable to pay for birth control advice, the
council are prepared to pay to the North Kensington Women's Welfare Centre five shillings
in respect of each married woman referred to that association from a Kensington infant
welfare centre, on receiving from the association the medical certificate mentioned above,
duly endorsed bv the doctor who has given the birth control advice.
5. The certificate will be examined by the medical officer of health, who will satisfy
himself that further pregnancy would be detrimental to health and that the patient cannot
afford to Dav the fee.
6. The council do not approve of the giving of birth control advice on the premises of
anv infant welfare centre in the borough which receives grant from the council.
During the year, 15 applications were received and all were granted at a total cost to the
council of £3 15s. Od. The council have recently decided to discontinue the payment of the fee of
five shillings in respect of each case referred to the birth control clinic and to pay an annual grant
of £25.
Travelling Expenses of Women Breast-Feeding Infants Admitted to Hospitals.
One application was received in 1934 for payment by the borough council of travelling expenses
to and from hospital of a woman who was breast-feeding an infant admitted as an in-patient to
hospital for treatment. This was granted and the total payment amounted to 3s. Od.
The Advisory Committee to the Borough Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.
The advisory committee was established in 1920. The committees of the infant welfare
institutions in the borough each nominate yearly two of their members to serve on this body, which
co-ordinates the work of the eight infant welfare centres, the four day nurseries, and the baby
clinic and hospital.
Many matters of importance occupied the attention of this committee in 1934, amongst which
were the following :—
(a) re-organisation of the free dinner scheme to necessitous expectant and nursing mothers;
(b) the appointment of a whole-time ante-natal medical officer and the re-organisation of
the ante-natal service;
(c) re-allocation of the areas served by various infant welfare centres in the borough ;
(d) re-allocation of the work of the Campden Hill centre consequent on its closing down in
March. 1935.
At the present time, the advisory committee are considering the arrangements to be made as
a result of the council's decision to appoint two whole-time medical officers for infant consultation
work in place of the part-time doctors at present engaged.
The committee have continued to be of great assistance to the council's maternity and child
welfare committee, and it is largely owing to the efforts of this body that such smooth running,
efficiency and uniformity are obtained in the work of the various voluntary associations engaged in
the Kensington maternity and child welfare scheme.