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which have also been provided, were used for only one case during 1947.
This suggests a lack of use of the facilities, but only 3 babies were
born prematurely at home, and of these one did not want it, the other
failing to obtain it owing to the lack of knowledge of a temporary midwife.
Care of Illegitimate Babies and Their Mothers.
The Health Visitors continue to give very considerable attention to
the individual needs of cases of this type of which they become aware,
but 110 further action has been taken towards completing the plans
considered by this and neighbouring Districts during 1944/5. With the
reduction of the total number of these cases, of whom not more than one
half come to the knowledge of the Health Department, it is unlikely that
plans for the provision of special local accommodation, etc., will mature.
Family Planning.
The Family Planning Clinic which was established in the District at
the end of 1945 held sessions on the second Tuesday in each month
throughout 1947. A total of 91 new cases was seen, 75 for advice on
birth control, the latter being desirable solely on medical grounds, and
16 owing to sub-fertility. A total of 166 attendances was made at the
12 sessions, all being by appointment.
These figures represent an increase of about 50 per cent, on those
for 1946, the chief expansion being in the number of cases being recommended
by doctors to obtain advice on birth control on grounds of health.
Health Visitation.
For the second year in succession, the Council theoretically employed
5 Health Visitors, but, owing to sickness and a resignation, for more
than half the year a maximum of 4 Health Visitors were rendering active
service. The following table of visits paid during the year reveals that
statistically the work again suffered as, in spite of the increased number
of births, the total number of visits decreased. First visits to babies,
which increased by 254 in 1946, again increased by a further 53. The
number of revisits to babies was maintained, but the older children had
to receive far less attention, the visits to these being reduced by a further
thousand visits. Fortunately visits to cases of infectious disease could
be reduced, otherwise the work would have had to suffer still more.
1,014 first visits to babies.
1,947 visits to babies under 1 year.
2,643 visits to children from 1 to 5 years.
186 ante-natal visits (139 first visits, 47 re-visits).
23 visits to cases of Whooping Cough (21 first visits, 2 re-visits).
120 visits to foster children.
31 visits to cases of Measles (30 first visits, 1 re-visit).
1 visit to a case of Puerperal Pyrexia.
4 investigations re infant deaths.
16 investigations re still births.
92 miscellaneous visits.
45 visits to children received for adoption.
6,122 Total visits.
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