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A total of 2 deaths from puerperal sepsis occurred during 1924,
compared with 4 in 1923 and 6 in 1922.
8 deaths occurred from other maternal accidents and diseases of
pregnancy or parturition, as against 6 in 1923.
4 cases of puerperal fever were admitted to the Borough Hospital
for treatment during the year.
(d) Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
21 cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were notified, as compared
with 23 in 1923. 11 of these occurred in the practice of midwives,
the remainder in that of medical practitioners.
Of the 11 cases in the practice of midwives, 7 were treated at
home, and 4 admitted to the Borough Hospital. Enquiry was made
at the end of the year into the condition of each child still living in
the Borough. In no instance was any impairment of vision
detected.
(e) Still-births.
90 still-births were notified during the year, or 3.1 per cent. of
the total notifications of births.
4.—THE INFANT AND THE YOUNG CHILD.
(a) Notification of Births.
2,874 notifications of live births were received during the year
out of a total of 3,535 registered, so that 81.3 per cent. of the births
were notified. Nearly 24 per cent. of the notifications were made
by medical practitioners, 58 per cent. by midwives, and 18 per cent.
by relatives, etc. Of the 3,535 children born alive, 1,755 were boys
and 1,780 girls.
(b) Home Visits under the Notification of Births Act.
During the year the Public Health Committee, by agreement
with the Education Committee, arranged for a unification of the
services of health visiting, previously undertaken by two groups of
health visitors, one concerned only in maternity and child welfare,
and the other in school nursing and' tuberculosis visiting. As from
September, the thirteen health visitors each became responsible in
her own district for maternity and child welfare work, including
home visiting and attendance at Infant Centres; school nursing;
tuberculosis visiting; and investigation of infectious and contagious
diseases,