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109
facility is provided it will create a demand. Personally I hope is
will, because in return for that I can see the lives of many mothers
infinitely improved. As I have said previously the whole happiness
centres round the mother, and if the mother's health is undermined
so that her work becomes a burden, then the 'whole happiness of the
family is at stake. It affects not only the wife, it affects the husband;
it affects the children. If by preventing a number of these
accidents which occur during confinement, which has hitherto been
regarded as the necessary heritage of parenthood, and thus preserving
homes. from the disability which arises from a fretful invalid,
then much will be done, particularly from the point of view of the
care of children.
Similarly I am as convinced as ever of the importance of the
Ante-Natal Work being in the hands of an Obstetrician. Again it
may be said that the provision of skilled advice will create further
demand for service of the skilled adviser. Again I hope so, as from
experience one sees how much can be done to prevent trouble at the
confinement, and how much more easily these things can be done
by those who make it their special vocation. Further if a person
with a reputation in this particular class of work is conducting the
Clinic, mothers will come with less reluctance, in fact with keenness
because of the reputation of the Obstetrician concerned.
We are gradually passing through a. new stage in which it is
gradually dawning on the mothers that the disabilities—pains,
back-aches and various other things which are regarded as almost
part of their everyday life as a result of a family, are not their
normal lot, but unfortunately it is difficult to make the men folk
understand—unless they are medical men—how much can be done
and how important is the doing of it.
Notification of Births.
Number of live births notified during the year 949
Number of still births notified 30
Notified by midwives 656
Notified by parents or doctors 326