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49
seaside. I he admissions are based on recommendations received
from the medical officers of the Infant Welfare Centres. During
the year 52 mothers, and 119 children under 5 years of age, were
sent away to convalescent homes.
(i) Home Nursing.
As set out in another section, arrangements were made early
in 1925 for the home nursing, by the staff of the Croydon Nursing
Service, of selected cases of measles, whooping cough, ophthalmia
neonatorum, puerperal fever, epidemic diarrhoea and infantile
paralysis, where the home arrangements were found to be unsatisfactory
and the patients could not be removed to a hospital.
(j) Care of Illegitimate Infants.
Following on a consideration of the report set out in the Appendix,
drawing attention to factors in the high illegitimate infant
mortality, the Croydon Mothers' and infants' Association established
a small committee of ladies prepared to take the initiative in
assisting unmarried mothers to remain with their infants instead
of placing them out with foster-mothers, and of persuading relations
to receive mother and child, or, in the alternative, of providing
suitable private homes into which mother and child could be
received together. Underlying their work was to be the definite
principle that the chief factor in the high mortality among illegitimate
infants was the failure of the child to receive direct maternal
care. For the first year the Corporation are making a grant up to
£100 for incidental expenses in connection with the boarding of
mother and child where the mother is not earning sufficient for the
purpose.
[COPY.]
REPORT ON MATERNAL AND INFANT MORTALITY.
Maternal and Infant Mortality.
In accordance with the instructions of the Sub-Committee, I beg to
submit the following report on a number of aspects of maternal and infant
mortality in Crovdon. The report arises out of Circular No. 517, of June
30th, 1924, on maternal mortality, recently received from the Ministry of
Health; but I have felt is desirable to include certain points not included
Health; but I have felt it desirable to deal with certain points not included
A. Maternal Mortality.
The maternal death-rate for every 1,000 live births in England and
Wales for the years 1913-22 was 3.8; in Croydon 3.4. The following table,
while showing for the years 1919-22 a similarly satisfactory position in relation
to the whole country—and indicating, incidentally, that maternal mortality
was higher in the later than in the earlier period—proves that the position
needs further examination when comparison is made with other large urban