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Miss Williams, Superintendent of the Home provided by the
Walthamstow Branch of the Chelmsford Diocesan Moral Welfare
Association, reports as follows:—
"The total number of cases received into the Home during the
year was as follows:—
Total number of cases dealt with 162
Number of those living in Walthamstow 23
Number of cases referred from Stratford 3
"Expectant mothers are taken in at any time during pregnancy
and employment is obtained for them until about six weeks before
confinement. Mother and baby usually return to the Home unless
arrangements have been made for the baby to be adopted or placed
with a suitable foster mother."
The closest co-operation exists between Miss Williams and
your Council's Health Visitors.
CARE OF PREMATURE INFANTS
The action suggested in Circular 20/44 has been carried out
as far as possible and the steps taken were detailed in the report
for 1944. During 1946, 27 premature babies were born at home
and 67 in Hospitals and Nursing Homes in the area.
Of the 27 premature babies born at home, 16 were entirely
nursed at home, seven died during the first 24 hours (i.e., 26%)
and 19 survived at the end of one month (i.e., 70%).
Of the 67 premature babies born in hospital, seven died during
the first 24 hours (i.e., 10.5%) and 54 survived at the end of one
month (i.e., 80.5%).
The table "Causes of Death" which follows includes 22
deaths from premature birth as compared with eight in 1945.