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76
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The Borough Council's Scheme of Maternity and Child
Welfare includes the following activities:—
1. The provision of two maternity wards, each containing
six beds.
2. The establishment of three Municipal Infant Welfare
Centres and a Municipal Ante-natal Clinic.
3. Financial assistance to 6 of the 7 Voluntary Centres
undertaking infant and maternity work in the Borough.
4. The home visiting of expectant and nursing mothers and
children.
5. Convalescent Home treatment for mothers and infants.
6. The provision of home nursing for sick mothers and
infants.
7. The supply of milk free or at half price to necessitous
mothers and children.
8. Arrangements for the care of unmarried mothers in
approved Homes.
9. Hospital treatment for mothers and infants.
10. Payment for professional services rendered by midwives
to necessitous patients.
11. The distribution of pamphlets giving advice on various
matters affecting the health and welfare of mothers and infants.
Municipal Maternity Ward.
The number of confinements which took place in the Council's
Maternity Wards during the year was 313, and the number of
births 316. The number of patients who had difficult confinements
was 25, which included one cæsarean section, 24 forceps
deliveries, 9 for maternal distress, and 15 for foetal distress. In
4 instances labour had to be induced, and in 5 cases the manual
removal of adherent placenta under a general anæsthetic was
necessary.
There were 19 premature births; of these. 3 were still-born,
one infant died at 2 hours, and another 6 hours after birth. These
infants weighed 3½ lbs. and 3 lbs. respectively.
8 infants were discharged with their mothers on the 14th
day, having gained in weight, but in 6 instances it was necessary
for the infants to remain in the hospital for a period of 6 to 7
weeks.
6 children were born with abnormalities, one with a deformity
of the right hand—digits missing, 3 with hæmatoma of scalp, one
with spina bifida and one monstrosity.
4 slides were taken of eye discharges, and in one case gonococci
were found on examination, which resulted in the mother