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96
Most of the cases I have visited from each Committee have been in connection
with my infant work.
Substantial help has also been given, particularly in clothing, for necessitous
cases from Queen Mary's Needlework Guild and Queen Mary's Workrooms,
through the National Relief Committees.
Ante-natal Work.
The 14 cases mentioned under this heading were visited for this only, but do
not adequately represent all the ante-natal work done. Advice has been given to
expectant mothers on hygiene and preparation for themselves and infants when
visiting for other purposes, and also at the Maternity Centre, but with such large
numbers to deal with, it is impossible to carry out a systematic course.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Eleven cases were notified, and seven of these made a complete recovery.
One died at 3 weeks of congenital syphilis.
Three severe cases were removed to hospital, and each of these lost the sight
of one eye.
Puerperal Septicœmia.
Of the 5 cases notified, 3 were attended at their confinements by doctors,
and 2 by midwives. Four were removed to hospitals for treatment, and all
recovered.
Enquiries into Deaths of Infants.
These enquiries have been made to verify the notifications of deaths in the
Registrar's returns, and have often proved useful in following up cases of
removal since birth which had been visited and were then lost sight of.
Summer Diarrhoea.
Twelve cases of this complaint were notified by the Almoners of the Queen's
Hospital and the Metropolitan Hospital.
Forty deaths were enquired into; one result of these enquiries was that 26 of
the babies had been fed on condensed milk or patent foods. Thirteen were fed on
cow's milk, and one only was breast fed.
Although cow's milk during the hot weather is easily infected, the infection is
more evident and more easily controlled, whereas a tin of condensed milk is a
greater source of danger ; exposed as it may be to the infection of a dirty tinopener,
then for days to the germs of a " living room," liable to be dipped into by
baby's dummy, older children's fingers and parents' spoons. The same applies tc
patent foods, which, although not so palatable, are frequently dipped into by the
curious and left exposed to germs.