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9
It should be clearly appreciated that this aid to childbirth
is not an anaesthetic in the accepted sense of the
word. It is claimed, rightly, that it does lessen the
acuity of labour pains, and therefore from humane considerations
is of much value. The gas and air are administered
by the patient herself who grasps the appliance,
breathes deeply and inhales the gas and air in fixed ratio.
The service will be offered to those who come within the
scheme and who desire to have it. They must, however,
undergo a medical examination four weeks before the
date of the expected confinement in order to ascertain
that there is no lesion which would contra-indicate the
administration of this form of analgesia.
WAR-TIME
NURSERIES.
The War-Time Nurseries at Heathway
Special School and Kingsley
Hall have been in operation for a
sufficient period to assess their value. They certainly
have fulfilled a useful purpose, and there is a large waiting
list for admission. At the present time three additional
nurseries are under construction and near completion;
two of these will accommodate 70 children each and
the third S'A. They are built in accordance with the
recommendations of the Ministry of Health. One of
these nurseries is to be run in conjunction with a First
Aid Post at which the cooking will be carried out and
the regular staff of the nursery will be supplemented by
those attached to the post; the nursery referred to is that
at Chadwell Heath. The nursery being built in the Leys
Field is close to a Civil Defence Depot, and it is envisaged
that the Ambulance personnel will assist.
The nurseries receive regular visits by the medical
staff and all the children undergo frequent medical inspections.
Apart from one or two outbreaks of zymotic