Annual report of the Medical and Health Department / Saint Vincent.

  • Saint Vincent. Medical Department.
Date:
[1937]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Annual report of the Medical and Health Department / Saint Vincent. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    arrived from that. Colony were inspected before permission to land was given. 49 vessels (mainly sailing craft) were boarded and 501 passengers were inspected. The total of arrivals at and departures from Kingstown was 2,847 and 3,217 respectively. VI. Maternity and Child Welfare. The ante-natal clinic was continued at the Colonial Hospi¬ tal and there were ninety-two mothers who attended for advice and treatment compared with ninety-seven in the previous vear. The Child Welfare clinic inaugurated in April 1936 was transferred from the hospital to a small building nearby but outside the hospital compound, this is considered a bettei arrangement in that education in the hygiene of infancy is one of the most important funtions of this Centre, the treatment of sick infants (and of expectant mothers) being carried out at the Colonial Hospital. The matron of the Colonial Hospital acted as Superin¬ tendent throughout the year in addition to performing her sub¬ stantive duties. In September a nurse qualified in general nursing was appointed to assist at the child welfare clinic and to undergo a period of special training under the Superinten- ent with a view to supervising maternity and child welfare work in the Colony should she prove herself at the end of her probationary period capable of undertaking this important appointment. The total number of attendances at the Child Welfare Clinic during the year was 449, of which 132 represented new cases. 33 per cent, of the infants were of average weight or above, 22 per cent, were below the average while 45 per cent although underweight gained steadily. Two firms in Kings¬ town were good enough to donate 81 tins of milk. In the Colony there are eleven District Nurse-midwives, eight of whom are stationed throughout St. Vincent. By this staff 642 expectant mothers were seen, 261 midwifery cases were attended and 10,778 houses were visited. VII. Hospitals and Dispensaries. The three public hospitals in the island provide 95 beds. The Colonial Hospital, Kingstown, has accommodation for 85 cases while the district hospitals at Georgetown and Chateau- belair have 4 and 6 beds respectively. The Union Island Hospital which also serves Ganouan and Mayreau has 4 beds. The Colonial Hospital, Kingstown— Year. Daily average Total Total Total Deaths Percentage of in-patients, admitted. treated, deaths. within 48 of deaths to hours of total treated. ad?nission. 1935 62 1,399 1,452 1,456 86 31 5.90 1936 69 1,518 95 35 6.25 1937 72 1,506 1,560 101 29 6.47 The above table indicates an increase in the daily average of in-patients and in the number of admissions. The death rate on