[Report 1944] / Medical Officer of Health, Rochester City and Port.
- Rochester (Kent, England). City and Port Authority.
- Date:
- 1944
Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1944] / Medical Officer of Health, Rochester City and Port. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![■flits is a common finding in all areas and recommendations by an Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health (Circular 2q/44) were adopted locally as far ss was practicable. To obtain more accurate information on the prevalence of prematurity, it was arranged to obtain at the time of notificatior of birth the birth weight of every baby when this is lbs. or less. There were eight cas.= s of prematurity notified in this way during 1944. Special equipment, including a draught-proof cot, electric blankets, clodiing, etc. Were made available, but the special equipment was only used on one occasion. Attention was also giv^n to the possibility of special hospital beds, the services of a paediatrician, and the supply of breast milk, but war-time difficulties precluded any developments on these lines. Liaison was maintained with the hospitals in order that premature babies born there could immediately be followed up at home on discharge from hospital. Care of Illegitimate Children. Circular 2866 (October 194*3). floe number of illegitimate births (live + still-births) in Rochester since 1935 and the illegitimate Birth Rate per 1000 live and still birtii® have been as follows;- Huaber, Birth Rate per .loon live and still births. 1935 1936 1937 193& 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 15 26 14 23 34 32 43 4? 55 45 22 42 21 36 53 45 55 in 1943 the Council agreed in principle to implement the suggestions contained in the Circular on the subject issued by the Ministry of Health, and also decided to co-operate with the Kent County Council and other autonomous welfare authorities in Kent. As a consequence, in March 1944, a joint meeting of twenty three interested authorities, and forty five voluntary bodies was held at County Hall, Maidstone, and Rochester Corporation accepted the joint scheme which was finally decided, The proposals adopted were (1) That the medical officers of the respective welfare authorities be responsible for ensuring close co-operation between of.ficers of the authority, particularly the health visitors, and the voluntary organisations concerned with the problem. (2) That approval be given to the appointment of an additional Health Visitor to the Headquarters staff of the County Council, to assist in administration and co-ordination and with the investigation of special cases, the officer to have,] if practicable, special qualifications and training in this type of social work. Where the services of this Officer are utilised by autonomous welfare authorities, they be asked to contribute towards her salary and expenses on the] basis of user durin.c each financial year. O) That wherever possible the expectant mother should be persuaded to make known her circumstances to her parents and,I if the home is likely to be a satisfactory one, persuade the grand-parents to make a home for the child.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30038947_0008.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
