The History Forum

The Role Baby Welfare Leagues played in the provision of maternal and child health By Adrian Bellamy, HIST 3030 The Evolution of Social Policy in Barbados During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, women gave birth at home in the British Caribbean. They were assisted by traditional midwives. These were mostly African or Asian traditional midwives were also referred to as “grannies”. The colonial powers often referred to these grannies as ‘savage, uncivilized, ignorant, superstitious, and possessed of devilish obeah practices’. They blamed midwives for the high infant mortality. This led to the emergence of maternity wards, midwifery hospitals and lying-in wards, where medical care and education could be had. Almshouses also fulfilled this function. Accommodation was provided for all socio-economic groups of women. These establishments also provided training for midwives and birth attendants in an effort to curb the high infant mortality rate...

Where did our waste go before the Sanitation Service Authority in Barbados?              At the beginning of the 20 th century Barbados found itself in the peculiar position of being a colony with little to no idea or the means of how to maintain proper sanitary conditions throughout the island. This effected every corner of the island as citizens struggled to look after their health and sanitary means under the limited scope of the Vestry system in the island. Bridgetown had become a central hub, for business, trade and tourist activity; but unfortunately, it had also been riddled with urban slums, poorly placed vendor markets and very unsanitary conditions. The illegal dumping of night soil (excreta), garbage/refuse, the unsafe use of water and rivers, the congestion of gutters and drains along with lack of sanitary practices often lead to the outbreak of diseases. In 1908, the Public He...