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41
The Council have also agreed to compensate any practising
midwife who suffers loss of fees owing to her patient (having been
referred by her to the Council's ante-natal clinic) entering hospital
for her confinement on the advice of the medical officer of the
clinic, vide page 33.
Arrangements have also been made on the lines suggested by
the Ministry to place at the disposal of medical practitioners practising
in Battersea, specialist advice in difficult maternity cases.
Convalescent Homes.
During 1935, accommodation was provided for 12 mothers
and 11 children attending the Maternity and Child Welfare clinics
at four approved convalescent homes. The cost incurred by
the Council amounted to £28 5s. 3d., and five of the families
concerned contributed the balance of £3 0s. 0d.
Eight other children attending the Council's Welfare Centres
were sent away for a period of convalescence through the agency of
the Invalid Children's Aid Association.
In addition to the above a number of mothers and children
attending the voluntary centres linked up with the Council's scheme
were sent away for the period of convalescence, the cost of which
was not borne by the Council.
St. Thomas's Babies' Hostel.
Since 1926 cases have been sent from the Borough Maternity
and Child Welfare clinics to this Hostel for test feeding and the
encouragement of breast feeding.
The result of this work during 1935 is as follows:—
A. Test Feeds.
Number of cases, 145, comprising: Mothers, 145;
babies, 146. Number of attendances, 510.
10 of these cases received in-patient treatment.
B. In-Patient Treatment.
Battersea cases received—
9 mothers and 18 babies sent by Council.
2 mothers and 7 babies sent from other sources.
Period of stay.
Cases sent by Council—9 mothers and 18 babies,
1,208 days; average, mothers 31.2 days, babies
51.5 days.
Other cases—2 mothers and 7 babies, 530 days;
average, mothers 42.5 days, babies 63.6 days.
A contribution of £150 is made by the Council annually in
respect of the work carried out by the Hostel for Battersea
mothers.