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10
PREMATURE INFANTS.
Special records are kept of all premature infants, who are
visited by the Health Visitors as soon as notified and kept under
observation until it is clear that they are making satisfactory progress.
There were 110 premature births during the year, 60 having
occurred at home and 50 in hospital. Of those born at home, 46 were
nursed at home and 51 lived through the first month of life. Of
those born in hospital, one died in the first 24 hours and three others
during the first month. Ninety-seven of the infants survived the
critical period.
ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.
Since the 1st January, 1945, the Council has made an annual
grant of £343 to the Southwark Diocesan Association towards the
cost of maintenance in the Association's institutions of unmarried
mothers whose homes are in the Borough. There is close co-operation
between the Council's Health Visitors and the officers of the
Association for making appropriate arrangements for individual
cases.
MATERNITY HOME.
The Council's Maternity Home, which was re-opened in
February, 1945, has been operating throughout the year, although
it has not been possible to utilize all the beds owing to the difficulty
of obtaining a full complement of midwives and nurses.
317 women were admitted during the year. The average duration
of stay in the Home was 13.23 days.
296 new cases attended the Ante-natal Clinic held at the Maternity
Home and made 3,473 attendances, and 224 cases attended the
Post-natal Qinic.
DOMESTIC HOME HELPS SERVICE.
On the 23rd January, 1946, in accordance with the recommendation
of the Minister of Health, the Council decided to bring into
operation a scheme for providing home helps for persons who are
sick or infirm and unable to obtain domestic help. Maternity cases
hitherto assisted with the cost of home helps provided by themselves
are also included in the new scheme and are provided with assistance
as far as possible.