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PREMATURE BABIES.
Since December, 1944, prematurity is required to be
indicated on the birth notification card by recording the birth
weight in all infants of 5|lbs. and under at birth.
In 1945 in this area there were 27 of these notified births,
of whom 19 were born in hospital and 8 in their own homes.
Fuller details will be seen in the appended Table.
The total number of premature babies notified during
1945 were as follows, born:—
(a) At home 8
(b) In hospital 19
The number of those born at home:—
(a) Who were nursed entirely at home 4
(b) Who died during the first 24 hours 2
(c) Who survived at the end of one month 2
The number of those born in hospital:—
(a) Who died during the first 24 hours 5
(b) Who survived at the end of one month 14
In view of the high mortality among premature babies
and in accordance with the recommendation of the Ministry
of Health in 1944, special arrangements were made for their
care, particularly of those born at home. The arrangements
consist of the provision of special equipment including a
specially designed cradle. In addition a children's specialist
has been appointed, who is available to any practitioner for
purposes of consultation.
It appeared obvious from the inception of these arrangements
that the very special provision for these infants should
necessitate special hospital provision and St. Helier County
Hospital made this provision for its adjoining areas. Provision,
which in addition to a babies' ward designed and
equipped for this particular purpose, included transport
arrangements from the home to the hospital by an ambulance
equipped with an incubator cradle. The main lines of further
progress in this particular field of preventive medicine would
appear to be further extension of the St. Helier type of hospital
provision and a more extended use of the facilities
provided. It should not be overlooked that the normal habitat
of the less than 40 week fcetus is in Uterus and no pains should
be spared to keep him there until the appointed time. Transport
too should be effected whenever at all possible, not with
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