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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 262 premature births during the year, 79 having
occurred at home and 183 in hospital. Of those born at home, 77 were
nursed at home and 60 lived through the first month of life. Of
those born in hospital 27 died in the first 24 hours and 19 others
during the first month. 197 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 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.
311 women were admitted during the year, and the average
duration of stay was 14.31 days.
314 new cases attended the Ante-natal Clinic held at the Maternity
Home and made 3,628 attendances. 244 cases attended the
Post-natal Clinic.
HOME HELPS SERVICE.
For many years the Council has granted financial assistance to
expectant mothers who arrange to have their confinements at home,
and have engaged suitable women to assist them, if they were found
to need such assistance. During 1947 assistance was granted to
102 cases.
In January, 1946, the scheme was extended and the Council
now provide home helps for sick and infirm persons and maternity
cases who do not make their own arrangements. It is not always
possible to meet all the demands received, as the number of women
available to act as home helps is limited. Twenty-two were employed
at the end of 1947, most of them working on a part-time basis.