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74
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Institutions for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and
Young Children.
The Streatham Babies' Hospital, 9, Leigham Court Road,
Streatham, is for the treatment of infants up to the age of
five years. There are 20 cots, and the nursing staff consists
of Matron, a Sister, two Assistant Nurses and three Probationers.
A Visiting Medical Officer attends daily. The parents
pa}' 10s. 6d. per week for their children, but necessitous cases
are admitted free, or at a reduced fee, according to circumstances.
Medical practitioners can recommend cases for admission
and attend them while in the Hospital.
110 infants were admitted in 1928, 74 from addresses in
the Borough and 36 from outside the Borough. Most of the
cases were infants suffering from Marasmus, Gastritis and
Debility.
The Borough Council pay an annual grant of £500 to
this Hospital under their maternity and child welfare scheme.
There is one other large institution in the Borough for
the accommodation of 60 children up to the age of five years.
There are five institutions cr hostels in the Borough for
the reception of expectant unmarried mothers, all in connection
with rescue work. In two of them the mothers are admitted
some months previous to the confinement, while in three they
are admitted towards the end of pregnancy. In most of these
homes the mothers are expected to remain some months after
confinement.
Arrangements have been made for a medical man to
attend at each hostel when necessary, and some of the infants
attend the most convenient Infant Welfare Centre.
During the year the Council received an application from
the Southwark Diocesan Association for Preventive and Rescue
Work for a grant towards the maintenance of unmarried mothers,