This, from the letter page of the Irish Times this morning.

"Sir, - In relation to infant deaths in mother-and-baby homes, James Deeny, who was appointed chief medical officer in the 1940s, provided interest¬ing insights in his biography.
With a death rate in Bessborough, Cork, of over 50 per cent (100 out of 180 babies born), Deeny personally inspected the home.
He said that, initially, he could find nothing wrong. Then he asked staff to undress the babies.
In his own words, he found "every baby had some purulent infection of their skin and all had green diarrhea, carefully covered up.
There was obviously a staphylococcus infection about. Without any legal authority I closed the place down and sacked the matron, a nun, and also got rid of the medical officer."
He added, "The deaths had been going on for years. They had done nothing about it but had accepted the situation and were quite complacent about it."
Bishop Lucey of Cork complained to the papal nuncio.
The nuncio complained to de Valera but Deeny's report in made clear that his decision was the right one.        
He recorded that with a new matron, medical officer, disinfection and painting, the death rate fell to single figures.        
Deeny wrote of his attempts by to deal with infant mortality in the wider community too - "it was very difficult. All sorts of vested interests were involved and the in-fighting was terrific, I came in for a lot of 'stick' and abuse."
-Yours, etc,        
Dr SANDRA McAVOY, Douglas Road, Cork."