London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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The Consultant Obstetrician was called in in 12 cases of grave emergency, particulars of which are set out below:—
| Cæsarean section | 5 | Fits (eclamptic) | 1 |
| Ante-partum hæmorrhage | 1 | Torn perineum | 1 |
| Deformity | 1 | Hydramnios | 2 |
| Special examination | 1 |
Still Birth—
| Feebleness | 1 |
| Breech | 2 |
| Prematurity | 2 |
| Cord round neck | 1 |
| Malpresentation | 1 |
| Deformity of skull and spine | 1 |
| 8 |
Died within 10 days—
| Prematurity | 2 |
| „ breech | 1 |
| „ congenital atelectasis | 1 |
| Cerebral hæmorrhage | 1 |
| 5 |
District Midwifery Service.
During 1932 there were 190 cases attended in their own homes
by the District Midwife as compared with 185 in the previous year,
an increase of 5 cases.
Particulars relating to this Service during the year are set out below:—
| Total number of cases attended in the district | 190 |
| Average number of visits to each case | 18 |
| Number of cases delivered by:— | |
| (a) Midwife | 168 |
| (b) Doctors | 18 |
| (c) Born before arrival | 4 |
Number of cases where medical assistance was called for, with reasons for requiring assistance:—
| (a) Ante-Natal—2. | (c) After Labour—17. | ||
| Illness | l | Ruptured perineum | 10 |
| Ante-partum hæmorrhage | l | Post-partum hæmorrhage | 3 |
| 2 | Rise of temperature | 4 | |
| 17 | |||
| (b) During Labour—18. | |||
| Prolonged labour | 9 | (d) For Infant—18. | |
| Retained placenta | 2 | Dangerous feebleness | 4 |
| Complicated breech | 2 | Discharge from eye | 9 |
| ? malpresentation | 1 | Asphyxia pallida | 1 |
| Foetal distress | 1 | Poor colour at birth | 1 |
| Premature labour | 1 | Septic spots | 1 |
| Uterine inertia | 1 | Hæmorrhage | 1 |
| Free loss | 1 | Chest trouble | 1 |
| 18 | 18 | ||
| Number of cases of— | |||
| Puerperal sepsis | Nil | ||
| Puerperal pyrexia | 2 | ||
| Maternal deaths | Nil | ||
| Still births | 2 | ||
| Deaths of infants within 10 days (Feebleness). | 1 | ||