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Maternal Mortality Investigations.—The Council has continued to take part in the investigation of
deaths of mothers in childbirth for the Maternal Mortality Committee of the Ministry of Health. The investigations
are carried out by the Council's Consultant Obstetrician. 4 cases were inquired into during 1943.
Hospital Treatment of Children under 5 Years of Age.
Treatment for children suffering from Marasmus and the operative treatment of enlarged tonsils and adenoids
continued to be available at the Willesden Municipal Hospital throughout the year.
44 children were under treatment for Marasmus and 124 for enlarged tonsils and adenoids and mastoid
disease. 8 of the children suffering from Marasmus died. Children were admitted to hospital to a limited extent
for orthopaedic conditions.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The number of cases of this disease notified in 1943 was 8, this being the same
figure as for 1942. This gives a case rate of 3.0 per 1,000 registered live births.
A district midwife attended the confinement in 5 cases, and 3 cases were born in hospital. Treatment was
obtained at a hospital in 4 cases, at the Municipal Health Centre in 2 cases and from a doctor at home in 2 cases.
Complete recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in 7 cases. In 1 case the patient was still under treatment at the
end of the year.
Cases of inflammation of or discharge from the eyes of infants or of cases of ophthalmia neonatorum entering
Willesden after notification elsewhere are also visited by the Health Nurses.
Teaching of Mothercraft at the Centres.
This important part of the work of each Health Centre had to be suspended on the outbreak of war.
CHILD LIFE PROTECTION.
A number of foster children are still evacuated under the Government Scheme or privately with their Foster
Mothers. At the end of 1943 there were 41 Foster Mothers and 64 Foster Children still in Willesden. One foster
child died during the year. Post mortem and inquest held—"Subdural haemorrhage due to a blow on the head—
Struck her head on an indoor air-raid shelter—Accidental death."
There has been a great scarcity of Foster Mothers throughout the year. Women even when not otherwise
occupied are unwilling to undertake the care of children in these difficult times and further they desire to be free whenever
their husbands come home on leave.
ADOPTION OF CHILDREN (REGULATION) ACT, 1939.
This Act came into force on June 1st, 1943. It makes it unlawful for any body of persons to make any
arrangements for the adoption of a child unless that body is a registered adoption society or a local authority.
Adoption Societies have to be registered by the Councils of Counties or County Boroughs, and on September 8th,
1943, the Secretary of State issued the Adoption Societies Regulations, 1943, made under Section 4 of the Act. In
carrying out the obligations placed upon them Adoption Societies make considerable demands on the services of
Local Authorities' Officers.
Section 7 of the Act is the section with which Willesden as the Welfare Authority is concerned. This section
makes it the duty of any person, other than the child's parent or guardian or the person with whom the child is placed,
who participates in the arrangements for the placing of the child, to notify in writing the Welfare Authority of the
area in which the child is to be placed. It is illegal for the adopter or any other person concerned to give or receive
any remuneration or reward. It is the duty of child protection visitors to visit and examine such children and the
premises in which they are kept and further to seek out any children in respect of whom a notice should have been
given. A child may be removed from the person with whom it is placed on the same grounds as a foster child. The
provisions of Section 7 do not apply if the other person participating is a registered Adoption Society or a Local
Authority or when the child is legally adopted or reaches 9 years of age. There are certain other exceptions.
If a child is placed in the care and possession of another person by its parents without any other person in any
way participating in the making of the arrangements it does not come within the provisions of Section 7 of the Act
and the Health Visitor can then only exercise such supervision as is possible without compulsory power in the course
of her maternity and child welfare work.
Two persons gave notice under Section 7 (3) in 1943 and there were 2 " adopted " children under supervision
at the end of the year.
NURSING HOMES.
No new homes were registered in 1943.
The total number of homes on the register at the end of 1943 was 7, providing accommodation for 5 maternity
a tients and 31 other patients.
AGED AND INFIRM PERSONS.
The suitable care of aged and infirm persons is a constant and increasing problem with which the Health
Department has little power to deal, yet one which is brought as a matter of course to the Health Department to be
solved.