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22
An application from the Hon. Secretary of the Hackney Mothers'
and Babies' Welfare for an increase of the annual grant was favourably
considered, and, with the approval of the Ministry, the grant was
increased from £250 to £300.
On the recommendation of the Maternity and Child Welfare
Committee, the Council decided to urge the L.C.C. to make provision
for the establishment of a Nursery School in the Borough.
The question of maternal mortality was considered by the Maternity
and Child Welfare Committee in June, 1928, in connection with
Circular 888 of the Ministry of Health, which suggested that there
should be an investigation in every area by a competent and experienced
Medical Officer of all maternal deaths and of all cases of puerperal
fever, with a view to ascertaining more exactly the actual causes
which lead to maternal mortality, in order to provide further means
of prevention. It was decided that the enquiry should include investigations
into every death of a woman arising out of pregnancy or
child-birth, and every death from the following diseases should be
included in those to be investigated:—
Abortion.
Ectopic gestation.
Other accidents of pregnancy.
Puerperal haemorrhage.
Other accidents of child-birth.
Puerperal sepsis.
Phlegmasia alba dolens not returned as septic.
Puerperal embolism and sudden death.
Puerperal nephritis and uraemia.
Puerperal convulsions.
Puerperal albuminuria and Bright's disease.
Puerperal insanity and similar conditions.
Puerperal diseases of the breast.
The Ministry of Health approved the appointment of Dr.
Dorothy Gere, Medical Officer to the Northwold Road and Lower
Clapton Road Centres, to assist in the investigation of these deaths.
During the year Dr. Gere submitted 13 reports regarding maternai
deaths, after very careful and painstaking investigation of all the
details of each pregnancy and confinement.
The Ministry of Health approved the appointment of Lady
Florence Barrett, M.D., M.S., as Consultant Gynaecologist and
Obstetrician, and Dr. M. M. Basden, F.R.C.S., as Assistant
Consultant, in difficult cases of labour and puerperal infection.
The cost of the Maternity and Child Welfare service for the coming
financial year amounts to a rate of 1.05 pence, the Ministry of
Health contribution formerly given as a service grant now being
contained in the block grant.