Report upon maternity and child welfare for the year 1932 / Monmouthshire County Council.

  • Monmouthshire (Wales). County Council.
Date:
1932
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Report upon maternity and child welfare for the year 1932 / Monmouthshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    5.—Dr. TERESA M. O’RIORDAN, Assistant Medical Officer, Monmouthshire County Council. FEEDING OF INFANTS UNDER NINE MONTHS OF AGE. Nantyglo Pontymoile Pontnewydd Panteg Cwmbran Breast-fed % 7o y /o / o °/ / o 39 54 33.3 47..3 51.0 Breast and Artificially fed 34 22 19.7 14.0 17.6 Artificially fed 27 24 47.0 38.7 31.4 The Medical Officer visited the above-mentioned Centres alternate weeks for about nine months of the year 1932 and weekly for about three months in the same year. 'NANTYGLO CENTRE.—The percentage of breast-fed babies has fallen; the per¬ centage of the combined method has increased; and the percentage of the artificially-fed has also increased. It has been difficult for many mothers to continue breast-feeding, and they have ceased to do so before their first visit to the Centre. Many were enabled to continue wirh the aid of a supply of free food, granted on medical grounds. Mothers who were unable to breast-feed entirely, did so partly. The number in this class has increased from 27 per cent, the previous year to 34 per cent, in 1932. Though fewer new cases of mothers visited the Centre, those v/ho attended did so oftener and more regularly. The total attendance has increased from 208 in the previous year to 301 in 1932. The visit of the Medical Officer on alternate Mondays has influenced the attendance of the mothers, and also the percentage of breast-fed babies. Some mothers rarely saw the Medical Officer. If the Medical Officer attends weekly it has been found that the mothers take more interest. The amount of free food given in 1932 at this Centre was greatly reduced as com- ])ared with the amount given in 1931. Such free food, in 1932, was given solely for medical reasons. Drugs were even more sparingly prescribed than in former years. Only the very simplest drugs were prescribed, more stress being laid on the prophylactic side of the work. The total visits of the toddlers to the Centre during the year amounted to 359. Many of these, whose nutrition was below normal, were granted several weeks’ supply of fresh milk. This supply was allowed by the ‘‘ Save the Children Fund.” Others were granted Roboleine, malt and oil, emulsion or Virol, according to their medical needs. The necessity of plenty of rest, sleep and fresh air was particularly stressed, and the mothers were urged to follow the advice given in this respect.