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and also for their children. There are still many who will not come for
treatment before actual pain is experienced, but it is only by education
that this can be overcome.
Sewing Classes.—Here also the attendances have improved. The
mothers have discovered that the time is well spent on Monday afternoons,
as the clothes that are cut out and fixed for them are so much more
satisfactory in shape and quality than ready-made garments. The Sewing
Classes afford excellent opportunities for Health Talks, and advantage
has been taken of this. The mothers also enjoy the social side of these
classes.
Home Visiting.—The visits paid by the Health Visitors show an
increase of 6,433. This is partly due to the work of the extra Health
Visitor who commenced her duties on 7th May, 1928, and was given the
district tiansferred from the Royal College of St. Katharine, and partly
to the regular and systematic visiting of the Staff.
Home visiting is very exacting and at times monotonous, but it is
by far the most important duty of the Health Visitors. This is the ' 'spade
work "on which depends the success of their work in the district, and
the amount and value of the work at the clinics.
Maternal Deaths.—During 1928 there were 8 maternal deaths, as
compared with 9 in 1927. 5 of these were first pregnancies, and only
2 of the 8 cases attended an Ante-Natal Clinic. For the first time on
record, no deaths from Puerperal Sepsis occurred.
Each maternal death is personally investigated. The registered
cause of death in the 8 cases was as follows:—
(a) From Sepsis.—Nil.
(b) From other causes:—
(1) Uremia, Acute Glomerular Nephritis, causing miscarriage.
P.M.
(2) Pelvic Peritonitis, Caesarean Section, obstructed labour.
(3) Child Birth, Acute Inversion of Uterus, Post Partum
Haemorrhage, Shock. P.M.