[Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, Birkenhead County Borough.
- Birkenhead (England). County Borough Council.
- Date:
- 1952
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, Birkenhead County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
25/96 page 17
![Eeference will be made in another section of the survey to the work of the Birkenhead District Nursing Society, St. Elizabeth’s Con- vent and the Birkenhead Mothers’ Welfare Clinic. PARTICULAR SERVICES. 5. Care of Expectant and Nursing Mothers and children under school age. Expectant and Nursing Mothers. Ante-natal Clinics are established in three districts of the Borough. An Assistant Medical Officer of Health attends each Clinic. Every expectant mother attending the Ante-natal Clinics has her blood tested for Blood Group, Rhesus Factor and Wasserman Reaction. General Medical Practitioners undertaking midwifery can send their patients to the Ante-natal Clinics for these blood tests. The importance of post-natal examination is stressed and every effort made to encourage mothers to have such an examination, either I at Hospital, Local Authority Clinic or by the general practitioner. Unmarried mothers are provided with accommodation in Mother and Baby Homes, before and after confinement, for periods averaging 12 weeks. Health visitors keep in touch with the mother and baby i on discharge from the Home. Priority of admission to Day Nurseries ! is given to the children of unmarried mothers. i A stock of maternity outfits is maintained in the Health Depart- ment and controlled by the Non-Medical Supervisor of IMidwives, Supplies are issued to midwives and to the Midwifery Sister on the ^laternity Hospital staff who attends domiciliary confinements. ’ Child Welfare. Five Infant Welfare Clinics are provided in the Borough. An Assistant Medical Officer of Health attends each Clinic. ' Habies and toddlers are regidarly weighed. Consultations with the I doctor in attendance are encouraged. National Dried JMilk, Orange Juice and Cod Liver Oil are available in addition to proprietary brands of infant foods. Immunisation against Diphtheria and WHooping Cough is carried out in ordinary sessions. Every encouragement is given to mothers to continue attendance with toddlers. Health Visitors in attendance give group talks to mothers. Two sessions ])er weelv for artificial sunlight treatment are held during winter months at the Nortli and South Clinics. Premature Infants. On discharge from Hospital premature infants are immediately notified to the Health Department so that the Health Visitor can be of immediate assistance. A specially designed cot is available from the Health Department on loan for the use of premature infants nursed at home. Particular attention is paid by Health Visitors to these infants for the first six months, and longer if necessary. Dental Care. It was not found possible, owing to shortage of Dental staff, to arrange for special sessions for the priority classes. It is hoped however, during 1953, that with part-time dental surgeons a commence- ment will be made with special sessions for these priority classes. An arrangement is still in operation whereby private dental surgeons give priority of treatment to cases in the priority classes referred from infant welfare and ante-natal Clinics,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28927461_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
