Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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52
From the figures given at the beginning of this section of the
report it will be seen that 343 of the live births were attended by
midwives, and of these 294 mothers availed themselves of the
facilities provided by the Clinic, that is, four-fifths of the cases
attended by midwives are under supervision duripg pregnancy.
But in spite of this growing recognition on the part of some of the
mothers of the value of ante-natal supervision, there still remains
a great deal of prejudice which will only be broken down by unremitting
efforts of the health visitors, together with the active
co-operation of the midwives.
The following table gives particulars of cases referred from the Ante-natal Clinic for hospital or other treatment:—
Diseases of Lungs | 4 |
Tolaemias of Pregnancy | 3 |
Heart Disease | 2 |
Epilepsy | 2 |
Small Pelvis | 2 |
Grave's Disease | 1 |
Syphilis | 1 |
Threatened Abortion | 1 |
Premature onset of Labour (Twins) | 1 |
Abnormal Presentation | 1 |
A new development towards the end of the year at the Antenatal
Clinic was the attendance of one of the health visitors at one
session weekly for the purpose of giving advice and instruction in
ante-natal hygiene and other appropriate subjects. The number
of mothers attending this class at any time is not large, so that it
is possible for the health visitor in many cases to give individual
instruction. These talksare of especialvalue to the younger mothers.
Post Natal Cases.
Twenty-six cases attended by midwives were referred by them or
by the health visitors for examination at the Ante-natal Clinic
owing to the presence of defects following childbirth. Seven of
these cases were found to be in need of special medical treatment,
for which they were referred to hospital or elsewhere, according to
the defect found.