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This provision at Westminster Hospital has therefore satisfied a longfelt
want and is a notable contribution to the solution of the problem of
maternal mortality. The cases referred to the hospital are those coming
within the category of complications arising after parturition, cases in
which a woman to be confined suffers from illness or deformity, cases which
in the opinion of the Medical Officer of Health or Medical Officer of the
Centre cannot with safety be confined in their homes, and those cases of
necessitous women where in the opinion of the above-mentioned Medical
Officers it is necessary to secure proper conditions for the confinement.
Thirty-eight cases were referred to the hospital, and only three of those
by reason of precipitate and premature confinement at home could
not avail themselves of the facilities provided. All those treated in
the hospital speak of the comfort and kindness which they received.
There was no instance of any illness or complication resulting in those
confinements.
(2) Measles.—Additional staff for the visiting of cases in time of
epidemic. This suggestion was embodied in a memorandum, dealing with
epidemics of measles in London issued by the London County Council. It
was proposed that preventive work could be made much more effective
by closer co-operation between the Education Authority and the local
sanitary authority by making use of the information in the hands of those
concerned with the school medical services. Measles is commonly spread
by school contact; this applies particularly to the junior classes and
frequently a child infected at school carries the infection to younger
members of the family at home. The school nurses are always on the
look-out for early symptoms of measles among scholars and receive
immediate notice of all absentees. The school nurses, by meeting the
health visitors daily and giving information as to children suspected to
be suffering from measles and others absent from school from the same
possible cause, could assist in establishing early contact with cases. This
system seemed to have considerable advantages over notification, for two
reasons: (1) that many parents still consider measles to be a trivial
disease and do not call in a doctor; in consequence there is no notification;
(2) cases notified are generally those of a severe nature where a doctor
has been called in after the disease is well recognised and established,
and where the most infectious period (before the rash) is well past and the
infection has already spread. The Council having in mind that a
considerable outbreak might be expected towards the end of 1929 and in
the spring, 1930, appointed a temporary health visitor for work in
connection with measles. The appointment was for a preliminary period
of three months and her duties were to visit particularly those cases
where nursing or hospital treatment was required and to make appropriate