View report page

57
Orthopaedic Cases.—Seven children under the age of 5 required
hospital treatment for deformities as follows: —
Talipes 1, congenital dislocation of hip 1, rickets 2, spastic
diplegia 1, spine 1, cleft palate 1.
Six of these have obtained hospital treatment through the
Clinic. The baby with a cleft palate died during the year; it also
suffered from congenital heart disease.
During the year the County Medical Officer held a Conference
at Maidstone for the purpose of initiating a scheme to provide
clinic and institutional treatment for all orthopaedic cases in the
County.
This scheme will be of great benefit to the County as a whole,
but Beckenham, owing to its proximity to the London Hospitals,
has hitherto been able to obtain the necessary treatment in London,
and will probably find it more convenient to make use of the
facilities for treatment provided by the London Hospitals.
Unmarried Mothers.—In a few instances the Centre has been
able to give assistance and help to unmarried Mothers. Arrangements
were made by the Centre for the confinement and the taking
over of the baby afterwards.
The Council does not provide a Home for orphan or illegitimate
children, but there is one private home in the District where babies
and young children are taken to be nursed. This Home is under
supervision by the Guardians and not by the Authority for the
Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918. This is one of the anomalies
of health administration, and it is hoped that future legislation will
place the inspection and supervision of such Homes under the
Authority that is appointed by statute to look after the welfare of
infants and young children.
One illegitimate baby died in the above Home during the year.
The age was 4 months; the cause of death as returned by a
Coroner's inquest was "syncope due to enlarged Thymus Gland.''