[Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, West Sussex County Council.

  • Dirk Neumann
Date:
1952
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, West Sussex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/54 (page 20)
    Maternity Outfits These are available, free of cost, to all mothers confined at home. Child Welfare Centres Ample clinic facilities were available in 1952, as in previous years. Particulars relating to these centres are given below. The majority of the centres are staffed by general practitioners, but in one town there is an additional consultant clinic, held weekly, by a former member of the County Staff, to which special cases are referred. Number of Centres provided at end of year ... ... ... ... 38 Number of sessions held per month ... ... ... ... ... 138 Number of children who first attended during year and on first attendance were— (f) under 1 year of age ... ... ... ... ... ... 2529 {ii) between ages of 1 and 5 years ... ... ... ... ... 506 Number of children in attendance at end of year who were then— (f) under 1 year of age ... ... ... ... ... ... 2179 {ii) between ages of 1 and 5 years ... ... ... ... ... 4743 Total number of attendances made by children during year— [i] under 1 year of age ... ... ... ... ... ... 35,299 (ii) between ages of 1 and 5 years ... ... ... ... ... 22,098 The number of children under one year of age who attended for the first time during the year, represented 61% of the total (live) births, as compared with 62% in 1951. W'eighing Centres (20) were held in districts where the numbers did not justify the setting up of a child welfare centre. The ladies of the voluntary committees attached to each child welfare centre do much to help with the sale and distribution of the foods, etc., and they also help in other practical ways, such as weighing children, so releasing the health visitors and nurses to give advice to the mothers and children. Care of Premature Infants All babies under 5i lbs. in weight continue to be classified as prema¬ ture, and special equipment has been provided for such infants as are nursed at home. This equipment continues to be available at the St. John Ambulance Depots, at convenient points in the County. If neces¬ sary, a premature infant could be immediately transferred to one of the maternity hospitals, where greater facilities for nursing are available. The figures for 1952 are as follows :— (1) Total number of premature live births during year ... ... 239 (2) Number of premature infants born at home during year ... 68 Number of these— (a) transferred to hospital ... ... ... ... ... 11 (b) died at home during first 24 hours ... ... ... 1 (c) died at home between 2nd and 28th day ... ... ... 2 (d) survived at end of one month ... ... ... ... 54 Of the eleven infants transferred to hospital, six died on or before 28th day. (3) Number of premature infants born in private Nursing Homes during year ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 Number of these— (a) transferred to hospital ... ... ... ... ... 1 (h) survived at end of one month ... ... ... ... 8 The infant transferred to hospital died before the 28th day.