[Report 1953] / Sanitary Committee [- Medical Officer of Health], Cornwall County Council.

  • Cornwall (England). County Council.
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / Sanitary Committee [- Medical Officer of Health], Cornwall County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2. GENERAL INFORMATION The work done for mothers and young children has progressed satis- factorOy throughout the year. One of the outstanding events was the open- ing of the new Health Clinic at Hayle by H.R.H. The Princess Royal. This Clinic provides accommodation for the Child Welfare Centre, Midwives Clinics, Mothercraft Classes and classes for relaxation exercises, and Dental Clinic. There is provision for possible future extension for building for general practitioner and other services. The provision of extra maternity beds at Old Tree, Launceston, and at Tavistock has led to a slight increase in hospital confinements, with a corresponding decrease in domiciliary deliveries. There is a still further dechne in the number of babies bom in private nursing homes and the owners of two of these homes have changed their registration in order to use their maternity beds to accommodate other patients. The opening of the ward for premature babies at Redruth Hospital is of great importance. Nearly two thirds of the neonatal deaths occurred in premature babies, and it is of vital importance that these babies should have every care and attention. A ward for premature babies was opened in the South Devon and East Cornwall Hospital, Plymouth, last year and caters for premature babies from East Cornwall. The infant mortality rate, which is said to be an indication of the health of the community, is lower than it has ever been in Cornwall (26.75 per 1,000 live births), and is in fact lower than the average for England and Wales (26.80). The fall in the infant death rate is largely in the group of children aged one to twelve months. The neonatal death rate although lower than previously has only fallen from 21.92 in 1952 to 20.27. The attendances at Child Welfare Centres have increased during the year. This may partly be due to the fact that immunisation against whoop- ing cough is now available at the centres. Whooping cough prophylaxis and combined diphtheria and whooping cough prophylaxis were introduced into the centres towards the end of 1952, and many mothers have taken advan- tage of this to have their children inoculated against these diseases. Early in the year officials of the Ministry of Health visited Cornwall to make a survey of the Maternal and Child Welfare work. They visited Child Welfare Centres, Midwives’ Clinics, Mothercraft Classes, Home Help Organisers, Dental Clinics and Rosemundy Home. They interviewed many doctors, dentists, nurses and others. They were very pleased with the standard of work achieved and gave a most satisfactory report. Ante-Natal Qinics Routine and consultant ante-natal clinics continue to be provided by the Regional Hospital Board throughout the County and are attended by the hospital staff. Patients who are to be admitted to hospital for their confine- ments visit these clinics. All pregnant women are entitled to ante-natal care and supervision by their own doctors.