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64
PROVISION OF MATERNITY HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION,
MIDWIVES AND MIDWIFERY ASSISTANCE,
ARRANGEMENTS FOR INVESTIGATION OF MATERNAL
DEATHS AND CASES OF PUERPERAL FEVER AND
PUERPERAL PYREXIA, CONSULTANTS FOR DIFFICULT
MATERNITY CASES, HOMES FOR MOTHERS AND
CHILDREN, HOME HELPS AND NURSING ASSISTANCE.
Maternity Hospital Accommodation.—The Council pays the
sum of one guinea in respect of each necessitous person admitted
from the Borough for treatment at either of the under-mentioned
hospitals. Expectant women are deemed to be eligible for assistance
under this scheme if, by reason of poverty or other cause, they are
unable to pay an amount equal to one-half the average cost per
patient of the maintenance and administration charges of the
hospital concerned for the preceding year.
The number of patients assisted under this scheme, together
with the cost to the Council during the year, is shown below:—
Cases. Cost.
£ s. d.
Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital 57 59 17 0
City of London Maternity Hospital 124 130 4 0
181 £190 1 0
Convalescent Home Treatment.—It has not been necessary to
make any alteration to the agreement which has existed for some
years between the Council and the Invalid Children's Aid Association
under which the Association arranges, on behalf of the Council,
convalescent home treatment for children up to the age of five years.
Under this arrangement the Council is not required to meet any
cost other than that which the parents are not able to contribute
towards the actual cost of the treatment provided at the convalescent
home, or which is not forthcoming from charitable sources.
During 1937 arrangements were made for the convalescence of
49 children. In addition, nine nursing mothers and their
babies were sent to convalescent homes during the year.
The total cost to the Council of convalescent home treatment in
1937 was £211 6s. 10d.
Maternity Outfits.—Sterilised maternity outfits are kept at the
Town Hall for issue to expectant mothers who arrange for their
confinements to take place in their homes. These outfits are
supplied to the Council at a cost of 6s. 0d. each, and are issued to
applicants at or below cost price, or free of cost to persons who are
unable to make a contribution.
Eighty-nine outfits were issued during the year. Twenty-one
were sold at cost price, 14 at a reduced price, and 54 were supplied