ASSISTANCE IN MATERNITY

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14231, 2 November 1916, Page 4

ASSISTANCE IN MATERNITY

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION

A question of very great importance to the. community was brought before the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday by Dr. Valintine, InspectorGeneral of Hospitals, who forwarded a circular letter dealing with the desirableness of extending""tlio system of assistance in maternitycases to other than the centres where State maternity hospitals are established. Under the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act boards are empowered to establish maternity wards, and the board was asked to consider the matter and inform the writer what steps had or could be taken (1) To enable expectant mothers to obtain pre-natal medical advice and treatment and nursing attendance; (2) to give medical and nursing treatment cither in a special department of the hospital or in thenown homes to women who are not in a position to pay privately for advice and attendance; (3) to give 'a first or postgraduate training to nurses in midwifery.

Dr._ Jamieson, Resident Siu'geon of the Nelson Hospital, who was present, said that the question was of the high est importance to the community as a who]p. He expressed the opinion that the- hardships which so many women ■had to undergo during pregno-nov awl after confinement without doubt bad a prejudicial effect on the birth-rate, lie especially alluded to those who were compelled by circumstances to do thnr own work. ' He Ktrrmgly advocated instituting and extending systems of assistance for those women. Another phase of tho question he remarked upon was the difficulty existing to sectire pi-operly trained maternity nurses. If, there were more maternity'wards it would follow that there Avoul'd be. more training grounds for maternity nurses and all-round benofifc would result. He was certain that the medical profession | and the nurses themselves would be j heartily in accord with extending assistance in the ways suggested. Members of the "board "acknowledged the importance of the subject and expressed themselves in sympathy. It. w^is resolved on the motion of tho chairman, .'iccc-ncied by Mr Mac-mahon, to'reply that the board regretted that under the present conditions of the hospital it is unable to take any.steps towards tho treatment of maternity cases, but hopes to make provision for the some when building the new hospital.