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The function of the Home is to give illegitimate children
a chance of survival, and the mothers are kept in the Home
doing the light work of the Home for about six months.
When they leave, situations are found for them, if possible,
where the child can be taken.
Nursing Assistance. Previous to 1926, nursing assistance
was only provided by the Council under this scheme for
cases of measles and ophthalmia neonatorum. In 1926, these
services were extended to include cases of zymotic enteritis,
puerperal fever, acute poliomyelitis, and whooping cough,
and in October, 1926, puerperal pyrexia. Cases of these
diseases which come to the notice of the Medical Officer of
Health are visited by the health visitor, and the Medical Officer
of Health decides whether nursing is required. The Council
do not pay a retaining fee to the District Nursing Association,
but they pay a fee per visit, the rate being as follows:—
in the case of all these diseases, except puerperal fever and
puerperal pyrexia, 1s. per visit for one case, and 6d. a case
for more than one case in the house at the same time; for
puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia, a uniform fee of 1s. 3d.
per visit is paid.
Research Work on the Health of the Toddler. At the
request of the Ministry of Health, arrangements were made
to keep under observation, for a period of three years ending
May, 1928, a certain number of children between the ages
of one and five years coming within the three following
groups:—
(1) Unselected children in attendance at an Infant
Welfare Centre.
(2) Catarrhal children in attendance at an Infant Welfare
Centre.
(3) Two, or more children in the same family—" Good "
and " Bad " families.