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(g) Provision of Nursing Assistance for Children Suffering
from Measles and Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—In 1916 the
Council entered into an arrangement with the local Nursing
Associations for the provision of home nursing services in
respect of measles. In 1920 the arrangement was extended
to include the nursing of ophthalmia neonatorum. Cases of
these diseases which come to the notice of the Medical Officer
of Health are visited by the health visitor, and on her report
the Medical Officer of Health decides whether nursing is
required. The Council do not pay a retaining fee to the
District Nursing Associations, for the purposes of securing
that a nurse is always available, but they pay a fee per visit,
the rate being as follows: 1s. per visit for one case, 6d. a
visit per case for more than one case in the house at the same
time.
These nursing services should be extended to include
provision for the nursing of cases of zymotic enteritis, puerperal
fever, poliomyelitis and whooping cough.
(h) The Home for Ailing Babies, Eglinton Road, Plumstead,
was taken over by the Council from a voluntary association
in 1919. Children suffering from debility, marasmus and
malnutrition, constitute the large bulk of the admissions,
but occasionally cases of bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhoea
and rickets are admitted. The available accommodation is
21 beds. The following table shows certain statistical information
for the vear 1925:—