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34
In December, 1930, a Memorandum, 156/MCW, dealing with ante-natal services,
was issued by the Ministry of Health, in which certain suggestions were made to
facilitate progress in dealing with the care of the expectant, the lying-in and nursing
mother. This was carefully considered by the Council, and the Ministry were
informed that:—
(1) As the supply of midwives is adequate, it is not proposed to take any
steps to provide a municipal midwife.
(2) The Council already retains the services of a Consultant for cases of
puerperal fever, and has reserved beds in two voluntary hospitals for
emergencies occurring during pregnancy or parturition.
(3) The Council provides 12 maternity beds for cases needing institutional
treatment (including abnormalities), and also for patients whose home
conditions are unsuitable for confinement. The extension of these services
is being considered.
(4) The Council has already made arrangements for the provision of sterilised
maternity outfits, for home helps, for the supply of milk to expectant
and nursing mothers, and for the provision of laboratory facilities for the
examination of pathological material.
(5) As part of the Council's health propaganda scheme, arrangements are made
from time to time for lectures to women's societies on questions affecting
pregnancy.
In reply the Minister wrote as follows:—
". I am directed by the Minister of Health to express his appreciation
of the excellent and comprehensive provision made by the Borough
Council in regard to maternity services.
"In connection with the arrangements indicated in paragraph 3 of
your letter, the Minister assumes that the services of a Consultant would
be available in an exceptional case of obstetric or ante-natal abnormality
in which it was not considered practicable to remove the patient to
hospital."
The Council gave further consideration to the final paragraph of the above
letter, and arranged for Mr. H. Taylor, F.R.C.S., the Borough Council's Consultant
under the Puerperal Fever Regulations, to see any such case and to pay him a fee
of five guineas on each occasion.
xi. Health Visiting.
The arrangements made for the visiting of children between the ages of one
and five years and the general working of the Council's maternity and child welfare
scheme are described in Section IX.