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167
The Retreat, Ross Road.
This is a home for unmarried mothers and their babies conducted
by the National Free Church Women's Council, and aided
by an annual grant of £650 from the Croydon Council. Although
not bulking largely as a Maternity Hospital, the work done is an
important branch of maternal care. Besides the matron and nursing
staff, an honorary lady medical officer attends the home when
necessary.
1 he following figures give the main details regarding the workcarried
out in 1932, and I am indebted to Dr. Sutherland, the
Hon. Medical Officer of the Home, for them:—
No. of beds for patients 18
No. of cases admitted 38
Average duration of stay 20 weeks
No. of cases delivered by (a) Midwives 33
(b) Doctor 5
No. of cases in which medical assistance was sought by a midwife 22
No. of cases notified as (a) Puerperal Fever, (b) Puerperal Pyrexia 1
No. of infants not entirely breast fed while in the institution 15
No. of cases notified as Ophthalmia Neonatorum (cured) 1
No. of cases notified as Pemphigus Neonatorum Nil
No. of maternal deaths Nil
No. of infant deaths (a) Still-born Nil
(b) Within 10 days of birth 1
(due to congenital heart deformity and convulsions)
As is seen the duration ot stay much exceeds that in ordinary
maternity homes. The girls are kept, with their babies, until
suitable situations can be secured for them, and when necessary
foster-mothers are found for the babies. Whilst the girls are in
the Home they are employed in domestic work. Some of them
go out to daily work, but reside in the Home.
Still Births.
During 1932, 125 still births were registered in respect of
Croydon, but of these 15 were outward transfers to other districts.
There were 8 inward transfers, giving a total 118 for the area.
Of these 65 were male babies and 53 female; 6 male and 4 female
were illegitimate. The proportion of still births to living children
was as 1 to 28. The still birth rate was 3.4 of the total registered
births. The rate in 1931 was 3.5%.
The still birth rate, on the same basis as for Infant Mortality
was 34.4 per 1,000 births.
STILL BIRTHS, 1932.
Notified by Midwives, Home Cases 20
,, Doctors, Home Cases 23
„ Institutions (Doctors or Midwives) 42
Attended by Midwives alone 24
,, Doctors alone 14
,, Midwives and Doctors 45
Occurred at 9 months 56
,, 8 months 15
,, 6-7 months 16
* Including registered Maternity Homes.