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During the 18 years Sister Jones has been with us she has laid the traditions of
the hospital, and her foundations will carry the stoutest super-structures on the
work she has so well begun, and her name will remind thousands of the devout care
with which she carried out what to her was a high calling.
(f) Post-Natal Care.—It is not sufficient for the mother to receive all the
attention possible prior to and during her confinement, because full attention should
also be given to the mother after the confinement. Here, I am glad to say, fuller
use is being made of the Humphrey Ward, where, as I have stated previously, the
resident medical officer of the Upney Hospital is in attendance. The more mothers
claim the advantage of this clinic the better will be their health and happiness.
(g) Gynæological Clinics.—The numbers attending these clinics are steadily,
if slowly, increasing and provision is made at all clinics for these examinations, when
arranged by your health visitors, etc.
It is now possible for women who wish to have advice on any matter associated
with their womanhood to have that advice.
I want to make two points quite clear. Firstly, this means that women are
entitled to advice, whether they think there is anything wrong or not, and if these
periodical examinations are carried out women can have the security and satisfaction
of knowing that everything is right, or alternatively anything which is wrong can be
dealt with whilst it is in its earliest stages, when probably treatment may be only of
a minor character. In the second place, this means that these clinics are definitely
intended for examinations from one standpoint only and that is woman's womanhood.
These clinics are not intended for questions of general medicine, which
apply equally to all men and women.
(h) Pemphigus Neonatorum.—Pemphigus Neonatorum is in Barking an
infectious disease within the meaning of the Infectious Disease (Notification) Act,
1889, and two such notifications were received during the year.
(i) Maternal Mortality.—According to the return of the Begistrar-General
there were during the year 1937, five deaths from puerperal causes—one death
from puerperal sepsis and four deaths from other puerperal causes. This gives a
rate of 4.28 per 1,000 total births.