Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
35
he sanctions the proposal of the Council to make arrangements with the District Nursing
Associations for the home nursing in necessitous cases of mother and child when the latter
is suffering from pemphigus neonatorum, at a charge of 1s. 6d. per visit. While the cost of
visits for maternity nursing (i.e., till the end of the lying-in period) of the mother can rank
for grant, such grant is not at present available in respect of the cost of the nursing visits to
the baby suffering from pemphigus. The matter will be considered in connection with any
revision of the regulations.
Since October 1, 1926, an arrangement has also been in force with the Central St.
Pancras and Metropolitan District Nursing Associations for the nursing of cases of Puerperal
Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia. A uniform fee of 1s. 6d. per visit is paid by the Borough
Council.
The following table gives the number of cases dealt with and visits made during
1927:-
| District Nursing Association. | No. of cases. | No. of visits. | Average per case. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central St. Pancras | 41 | 544 | 13.3 |
| Metropolitan | 34 | 549 | 16.1 |
| Hampstead | 9 | 149 | 16.6 |
| North London | 23 | 331 | 14.4 |
| Total | 107 | 1573 | 14.7 |
Home Helps.
This is a term used to describe women who have received a certain amount of training
in domestic duties, including the care of young children. They are provided for necessitous
families where the mother is incapacitated on account of sickness or child-birth.
The Borough Council makes an annual grant of £150 for use in respect of maternity
cases only.
The management is in the hands of a Voluntary Committee, on which the Council is
represented by two members.
During the past year the resignations were accepted of the Honorary Treasurer and
Secretary. These vacancies were filled, and the Committee has recently carried out a considerable
amount of useful re-organisation.
Two new Home Helps have been appointed, definite hours have been fixed, and the
scope of the duties defined. The necessary supervision of their work has been secured by
the appointment of a visitor (part-time) who calls at the homes, interviews the mother, and
also collects payments according to the assessment which has been made.
56 cases were dealt with during 1927, 41 being maternity and 15 sickness cases.
Midwives.
In the Metropolis, the supervising authority for midwives is the London County
Council. According to figures supplied by that authority the number of midwives who in
1927 had notified their intention to practise in St. Pancras was 34.
Private midwives are not subsidised by the Borough Council, but a subsidy is paid
for each approved necessitous case attended in the patient's home by midwives on the staff of
certain hospitals and by midwives employed by the Maternity Nursing Association,
A subsidy is not given in cases where "Maternity benefit" is payable.