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recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health. Maternity cases are
also admitted to the Public Assistance Hospitals.
DISINFECTION.
The disinfection of houses has been undertaken by the Council
during the year and the Wandle Valley Hospital Board have continued
to co-operate in the disinfection of bedding, etc.
When residents request disinfection which is not essential in the
interests of the public health, this is undertaken upon a payment of
10s. per load for bedding, etc., and 5s. for the first room and 2s. 6d. for
each additional room as applied to house disinfection.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The Council is the responsible authority for this important section
of the work.
The ever-increasing significance of measures, both national and
local, to prevent undue risks in childbirth and to prevent ill-health in
mothers and infants cannot be over-emphasized.
All Ministers of Health within recent years have appreciated the
importance of this factor in maternal life, and in April, 1937, Sir
Kingsley Wood presented to Parliament his Report on an Investigation
into Maternal Mortality. This was followed in May of that year by
Circular 1622, addressed by the Minister to all Maternity and Child
Welfare Authorities. The Circular represents the considered opinion
of the Minister on the action and re-organization which Maternity
and Child Welfare Authorities should take to bring their Maternity
and Child Welfare service up to the standard shown to be essential
from the findings of the Report.
The Circular is likely to be the standard of reference on Maternity
and Child Welfare schemes as far as they relate to maternity work for
some time to come.
The Public Health Committee gave the Circular preliminary consideration
at more than one meeting, and appointed a special subcommittee
to consider the Circular in more detail.
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