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139
Accommodation for Confinement.

There is a distinct trend towards confinement taking place in
an Institution or Maternity Home.
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.
Besides the Matron and Nursing Staff, an honorary lady medical
officer attends the Home when necessary.
The following figures give the main details regarding the
work carried out in 1937, 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 32
Average duration of stay 4½ months
No. of cases delivered by (a) Mid wives? 17
(b) Doctor 2
No. ot cases in which medical assistance was sought
by a midwife 14
No. of cases notified as (a) Puerperal Fever, (b) Puerperal
Pyrexia 1 (b)
No. of cases notified as Pemphigus Neonatorum —
No. of maternal deaths —
No. of infant deaths (a) Still-born 1
(b) Within 10 days of birth ... —
As is seen, the duration of 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
ont to daily work, but reside in the Home. It is becoming
increasingly difficult to get the girls to stay as long as is advisable.