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The services of the Council's Consultant Obstetrician are also available in cases of Puerperal Fever and
Puerperal Pyrexia when desired by the practitioner in attendance.
Provision of Anaesthetist.—The Council further accept responsibility for the payment of a fee to an
anaesthetist called in by a medical practitioner in connection with confinement cases. No such fees were paid in 1946.
Home Helps.—The Council provided the services of home helps in connection with 63 confinement cases in
1946. Difficulty was experienced in finding women willing to undertake this work and some mothers in need of
home helps were unable to obtain them.
Maternal Mortality Investigations.—The Council have 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. 7 cases were inquired into during 1946.
Report on Connaught Hostel.
The above short-stay hostel was opened on September 2nd, 1946, and takes 12 children aged 0-5 years for
short-stay periods during the confinement or illness of the mother.
Up to 31st March, 1947, 61 cases were admitted.
Reasons for admission: Confinement of mother, 44 ; illness of mother, 17. Average length of stay in
hostel, 21 days.
Payment is based on economic circumstances.
The opening of this hostel has enabled several mothers to enter hospital for confinement and to undergo muchneeded
operations without anxiety. One mother had been waiting for three years for an operation. Several mothers
have needed rest during the ante-natal period, and the hostel has enabled them to be relieved during this time.
The service requires extension to satisfy fully the needs of the district.
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.
34 children were under treatment for Marasmus and 154 for enlarged tonsils and adenoids and mastoid
disease. 1 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 1946 was 4. This gives a case
rate of 1.2 per 1,000 registered live births.
A district midwife attended the confinement in 1 case, 2 cases were born in hospital, and 1 in a nursing home.
Treatment was obtained at a hospital in 2 cases. Complete recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in all 4 cases.
Cases of inflammation of 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.
THE CARE OF PREMATURE INFANTS.
The Ministry of Health issued Circular 20/44 on March 22nd, 1944, dealing with the Care of Premature
Infants.
Arrangements have been made for obtaining knowledge of all children whose weight at birth is 5½bs. or less.
176 such children were born in Willesden in 1946, 47 at home, and 129 in hospital. The services of a paediatrician
are available if necessary. Midwives and Health Visitors give particular attention to these babies, and the services
of home helps are provided if necessary and available. A paediatrician is attached to the Maternity Hospital.
All discharges of such infants from the Willesden Maternity Hospital and Central Middlesex County Hospital are
notified forthwith to the Health Department and followed up.
In 1946, out of a total of 104 deaths of children under 1 year of age who were Willesden residents, 23 were
due to premature birth. In 1945, out of a total of 129, 27 were due to premature birth, in 1944 out of a total of
114, 31 were due to premature birth, and in 1943, out of a total of 155, 25 were due to premature birth. Taking
only the deaths under 4 weeks of age in 1946, all 23 were due to premature birth; in 1945, all 27 were due to
premature birth; in 1944, 30 out of a total of 70 were due to premature birth ; in 1943, 24 out of 61.