View report page

99
the isolation block of Queen Charlotte's Hospital. During the war this
last was not available, and sometimes not that at the L.C.C. Hospital,
in which case, patients were admitted to the isolation hospitals of some
of those authorities, with whom the Council has an arrangement for the
acceptance of infectious patients. During the year eleven patients were
admitted to hospital, including four who had been confined in local
nursing homes.
(c) Home Nursing : As some of the conditions causing puerperal
pyrexia are communicable, it is undesirable for a midwife, attending
such a patient, to attend to other maternity cases. In many instances
it is only after a while that a non-infectious cause for the pyrexia can be
demonstrated, and during this period, when it is not known whether the
condition is or is not infectious, restricting a midwife to attend to the
one patient in such circumstances would disorganise the service. The
alternative practice, therefore, has been adopted, namely that by arrangement
with the District Nursing Association the nursing of such patients
is passed to suitably qualified nurses of the Association, who are in no
danger of conveying any infection should the condition prove to be
communicable as they do not attend maternity cases. In the meantime,
the midwife takes precautionary measures as though she had attended
an infective patient, and so later can resume her ordinary duties. The
Association also, on behalf of the Authority, undertakes the nursing of
patients suffering from such conditions as breast abscess, white leg, etc.,
occurring in the nursing mother. Three patients notified as suffering from
puerperal pyrexia were nursed by the staff of the Association under these
arrangements. In addition there were a further 12 cases of nursing
mothers whose nursing the staff of the Association undertook on behalf
of the Council.
BIRTH CONTROL CLINIC.
At a Birth Control Clinic established at a maternity centre, contraceptive
advice may be given only to those in whose case further
pregnancy would be detrimental to health. When started in 1935, the
local clinic was held monthly, but increasing attendances necessitated
fortnightly sessions. 1938 saw the largest number of patients attending
in any year, namely 311. The figures in the succeeding years were 245,
136, 133, 177 and 175. 1944 saw a slight rise to 213, while last year
439 attended. Of these 166 were new patients and altogether 486 visits
were paid. During the years of smaller attendances, monthly sessions
were found to be sufficient, but the larger attendances last year necessitated
a reversion to the previous practice of fortnightly sessions. Each
year a small number who attend have to be denied any advice on contraceptive
methods, as in their cases there were no medical grounds
rendering a pregnancy undesirable.
CLINIC BUILDINGS.
The programme of erection of clinic buildings included the main
central clinic and, in all, nine peripheral buildings. Facilities at these
proposed sites would mean that practically the entire district would lie
within circles of three quarters of a mile radius from these sites as centres.
H