366 



MEDICAL SECTION 



procured a recommendation, and the woman was 

 removed to the Infirmary the same day. After a 

 very severe illness she came home for two weeks 

 before her confinement, and returned to the In- 

 firmary when labour set in. Twin babies were born, 

 who weighed 5 Ib. 2 oz. and 6 Ib. at two weeks old. 



In another case a mother in her sixth month of 

 pregnancy was found ill, and advised to call in her 

 doctor. He removed a macerated foetus within twenty- 

 four hours, and the mother made a good though slow 

 recovery. Other cases might be quoted, but time and 

 space forbid. 



Many mothers have been enabled to nurse their 

 infants through following advice given, who had not 

 succeeded in doing so with previous infants. The 

 pleasure of a mother is very marked when she 

 shows her newly born infant to the visitor who has 

 taken a 'friendly and practical interest in her during 

 the long months of pregnancy. 



A very difficult part of this work is dealing with a 

 large moving population of the lowest type, who in- 

 habit furnished places and cannot easily be traced 

 after their frequent removals. These mothers seldom 

 go to work, are very poor, and very dirty. Another 

 difficulty is the habits, traditions, and superstitions 

 handed down from previous generations, which some- 

 times cause the mothers to hesitate about seeking 

 really necessary advice and treatment. The practice 

 of taking large doses of gin and Epsom salts in early 

 pregnancy is often met with. 



Where diachylum has been taken the mothers 

 are warned that it is illegal to do this. 



Only persistent friendliness gains the confidence of 

 the mothers in these matters, but this once gained, the 

 results are very far-reaching, not only in their own 

 lives but in their influence among their friends and 



O 



neighbours. 



