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previously pointed out by the Principal Medical Officer for Maternity
and Child Welfare of the Ministry of Health (Dame Janet Campbell)
in a Report on Maternal Mortality which was issued in 1924, that
whereas the Infantile Mortality of the country had been markedly
diminished, the Maternal Mortality had not improved and was still
as high as it was twenty years ago, and about 4 per 1,000 women
die in childbirth. Many who do not succumb, it is stated, suffer from
impaired health as the result of conditions that could have been
prevented. The Borough Councils are now empowered with
the sanction of the Minister of Health to make provision
for the special treatment of women suffering from Puerperal
Pyrexia, for consultation with an obstetric specialist, for skilled
nursing or for institutional treatment; and it is important,
the Ministry state, that these authorities should do all that
is possible to meet the request of medical practitioners for
special assistance for women suffering from Puerperal Pyrexia which
is, or is likely to be, serious in character, in order that maternal
mortality and morbidity from this cause may be as far as possible
prevented. The Council have arranged that Lady Florence Barrett,
M.D., M.S., should act as consultant as regards cases of Puerperal
Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia occurring in the Borough, and arrangements
have been made with the Camberwell Research Laboratories
for the necessary bacteriological work in connection with these cases.
Skilled nursing and hospital treatment have been obtainable for some
years past under arrangements made by the Council.
The West Hackney Voluntary Infant Welfare Clinic was
recognised by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee in
November, 1926, and representatives of the Committee were chosen
to serve on the Committee of the Voluntary Centre. Co-operation
between the Maternity and Child Welfare work of the Borough
generally and the Voluntary Centre has been arranged. This Centre
has been greatly needed in this district of the Borough and has already
relieved Northwold Road to a considerable extent, as there is an
average attendance of more than 30 children who would otherwise
require attention at Northwold Road.