MATERNITY HOMES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8189, 2 August 1912, Page 8

MATERNITY HOMES.

QUESTION OF CONTROL. HELP FOR POOR MOTHERS. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. A deputation representing the Wellington division of tho British Medical Association waited on the Hon. B. H. Rhodes, Minister in charge of Hospitals and Charitable Aid. yesterday, to urge what they considered should he undertaken by the Government in regard to such institutions as the St. Helens Maternity Hospital. Dr Herbert declared that tho medical profession had no antagonism to the St. Helens Homes. To the principle ol those hospitals, providing they benefited tho right kind of people, the medical profession gave its practical support and co-operation, and the deputation only desired to place the institution on a surer foundation. What, ho asked, were the motives of Mr Seddon in lounding those homes? The deputation thought they were two—First, they were to provide a maternity hospital for the wives of members of the working and artisan classes, earning up to AD a week; patients had to pay 30s a week while in the home. The secondary idea was that tho homes should be used for training nurses for service in the backblocks. Before the homes were started a deputation waited on the lato Mr Seddon, and asked him if they were to be regarded as charity institutions. ‘‘No, certainly not," was the answer they got. Patients must bo paid for. CHARITY INSTITUTIONS. "W© would beg,” said Dr Herbert, "that you make these homes charity institutions. We readily admit that the poor are admitted, and that the poor can be admitted, through the Charitable Aid Board, but tffiat does not alter the principle. Wo deny that it is right that poor women under these circumstances should be forced to go to the Charitable Aid Board for assistance under those circumstances. The poor in every other phase of sickness have every facility given to them to gain assistance from charity of some sort, and we do not think it right that the women of the Dominion performing tho high duty of maternity in poor circumstances should have to go to the Charitable Aid Board and expose their poverty. Wo know that tho great majority will not do so—that there are many poor who refuse to gain admission to the St. Helens Hospitals by what we may well call the workhouse entrance. You may answer that if tho poor can be admitted by the Charitable Aid Boards it is not a hospital." That was a ~ery big question. If the Government refused to deal with such oases the Charitable Aid Board must do so. The Charitable Aid Board supplied tho wants of all sorts of sickness, but had up to the present neglected the most important of all—maternity. Women who could not afford to go to the St. Helens Hospitals must be given better facilities. There were manv cases —apart from the ability or inability to pay—that had to be considered from the point of view of unfit surroundings. The deputation urged that where home surroundings were unfit cases should be admitted to the St. Helens Hospitals, but at present the medical profession had no right to send cases to the St. Helens institutions. Dr H. J. McLean contended that in the past the medical profession had not had the consideration to which it was entitled. The profession had never been consulted in regard to matters in which it was concerned. He hoped that under the new regime it would be consulted

in regard to matters concerning public health and the public service and the medical profession. Dr Nowman said that his attention had been drawn to the fact that there was a large number of women who could not afford to go to the St. Helens Home, but who were greatly in need of sonic comfort® in their hour of trial. ILLEGITIMACY. Ur Gibbs pointed out the anomaly that the Charitable Aid Board governed all the institutions except those relating to maternity. They should, ho contended, bo under the same governing body. Hon. R. H. Rhodes; ion mean that the Hospital Board should take over the St. Helens Homes? , Dr Gibbs : Yes. They should be under tho same category; that poverty and need should be the chief recommendation to entrance. If you do that we don't object to the income limit. The Minister had also before hint a very difficult problem in the illegitimate cases. Medical .men knew the handicaps which mothers of illegitimats children had to undergo. They were driven into private homes, where, perhaps, the nurses wore not so conscientious as they might be, and he knew of one institution where .the midwife practically fattened off illegitimate cases. Sho collared three-fourths of the amount paid by the man as hush money, and by tho transaction the girl practically lost her hold of the father of tho child. That aspect of the question _ had been lost sight of in connection with the St. Helens Hospitals. Dr Hardwick Smith agreed that St.

JJr jNowman said that his attenuuu had been drawn to the fact that there was a large number of women who could not afford to go to the St. Helens Home, but who were greatly in need of some comforts in their hour of trial. ILLEGITIMACY. Dr Gibbs pointed out the anomaly that the Charitable Aid Board governed j all the institutions except those relating . to maternity. They should, he conteud- . ed, bo under the same governing body. [ Hon. It. H. Rhodes; Aon mean tliai , the Hospital Board should take over the . St. Helens Homes? , , Dr Gibbs: Yes. They should bo undei ’ the same category; that poverty and l need should be the chief roc:o mm end. . tion to entrance. If you do that wo don't object to the income limit. The [ Minister had also before him a very , difficult problem in the illegitimate cases. ’ Medical men knew the handicaps which mothers of illegitimate children had to undergo. They were driven into private homes, where, perhaps, the nurses were not so conscientious as they might be, and he knew of one institution where .the midwife practically fattened off illegitimate cases. She collared three-fourths of the amount paid by the man as hush money, and by tho transaction the girl practically lost her hold of the father of tho child. That aspect of the question _ had been lost sight of in connection with the St. Helens Hospitals. Hr Hardwick Smith agreed that St. Helens Hospitals should bo given in charge of the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Board. It seemed to him wrong that because a woman was poor she should be unable to get the necessary accommodation, while a woman who was only a little better off could go into the St. Helens Hospital and he told that she was doing right, while as a matter of fact she was receiving charity. PREFERENCE TO THE POOR. The Minister remarked, in reply, that ho had only just taken charge of the department,” and he would have to consult his officers before giving a definite reply. He was glad to receive the assurance of the medical profession that it had no antagonism to the St. Helens hospitals. They wore designed for the training of nurses for tho backblocks, and it was the backblocks rather than the towns that required looking after in that respect. Tho more nurses that were trained tho better it would be for hackblocks. Ho hoped to bo able to extend the operation of St. Helens hospitals, and he would bo glad to consult the members of the medical profession in such matters. He was not” prepared to make St. Helens hospitals charitable institutions without very full consideration. It would be better to add maternity wards to the hospitals. The poor should be given preference against the more well-to-do, everything else being considered. He had no doubt that nurses trained in tho general hospitals would be better trained than those who fot their experience only in the St. lelens hospitals. He would give the representations of the deputation hie most careful consideration. ADMISSION. Dr Valintine, Inspector-General of Hospitals, said it had been contended that the St. Helens hospitals did not cover the ground that tho late Mr Scddon intended them to cover. He denied that absolutely. It had been said that specially selected cases ■ were sent into the hospitals, but that was by no means the case, and he was perfectly sure that most of the community had been, admitted. They had never denied a deserving case. A member of tho deputation: Only when yon are absolutely forced. Hr Valintine said there was another thing that had not been touched on by the deputation—the vast amount of 1 work that had been done amongst the ■>oor hy tho out-patients’ department attached to the St; Helens Hospital. As regarded the illegitimate case, there were institutions, such as the Salvation Army Home, the Alexandra Home, and also tho Hospital Board. Soule four or five years ago the girl who had been unfortunate had no institution to which she could go, but now arrangements had been made hy the Hospital Board in conjunction with the Salvation Army and the Alexandra Home, for the treatment of such cases. . _ , Dr Gibbs: Absolutely inadequate. It s only a sop. SUFFICIENT ACCOMMODATION. Dr Valintine said that at one time there wore remark? about the lack of accommodation for such cases, but there had been no comments in that direction during the last four or five years. He knew that previously scandals had occurred, but he absolutely denied that they had arisen lately, and he had the assurance of the hospital boards that sufficient accommodation was provided for such cases. A member of the deputation: The whole of your working for these illegitimate cases depends on the medical profession doing the work for' nothing. Dt Valintine did not deny that a great deal of charitable work was done by tho members of the medical profession. Dr Gibbs said the department had made provision for about 10 per cent, of such cases. Ninety per cent, did not go to those homes. They went to private nurses and were fleeced. VERY GRIEVOUS WRONG. Dr Valintine said that if that was so a very grievous wrong had been going on; he had no knowledge of at. Ho understood that tho illegitimate cases were being properly attended to. He had always had tho> assurance that they were promptly and adequately dealt with. Are St. Helens nurses regarded as being well trained? Dr Herbert: Excellent, most excellent. Dr Valintine went on to say that the women, of Wellington were much better circumstanced in regard to maternity cases than the women of the backblocks. ORGANISED SPONGING.

The Minister said that as far as the mothers of illegitimates were concerned he had no idea they were being treated in that Tray. It seemed to be an organised method of sponging on them in private homes. The evil having been brought to light he would make it his duty to make further inquiries and see what sfepe could be taken to lessen the evil. 1 Dr Valintino asked whether, if there wer fifty institutions for illegitimate cases in the city, they would get all the women to come in. Dr Herbert: No, but a bigger proportion. Dr Valintino: Unfortunately they want to hide their shame. We will never get .hem all. The Minister promised to give the representations of ‘ the deputation consideration.