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59
A Doctor was called in to 120 of the 541 cases in which a midwife had
been engaged.
Of the infants born there were 10 stillbirths. In one of these cases the
midwife was engaged as a maternity nurse only.
There were 5 deaths of infants during the first year of life where the
birth had been attended by a Domiciliary Midwife, 3 of these occurring during
the first two weeks of life.
Notices were received from the Domiciliary Midwives stating that artificial
feeding had been substituted in respect of 31 infants attended by them
during 1951.
During 1951 Ante-Natal Clinics conducted by the Domiciliary Midwives
were set up, sessions being held weekly or fortnightly, as required, commencing
in May at the Valentines and Mayesbrook Clinics and in August at the Manford
Wav Clinic.

In addition, 2,942 home ante-natal visits were made during the year.
Salvation Army Midwifery Service.—52 cases were attended by the
Salvation Army Midwife during the year, 49 as a midwife and 3 as a maternity
nurse.
A Doctor was called in to 22 of the 52 cases in which a midwife had been
engaged.
Of the infants born there were no stillbirths. One infant, where the
birth had been attended by a Salvation Army Midwife, died at the age of
7 weeks.
Notifications were received from the Salvation Army Midwives that it
was proposed to substitute artificial feeding in respect of 7 infants.
Gas and Air Analgesia.—During 1951 gas and air analgesia was
administered in 428 cases, of which 391 were attended by the Domiciliary
Midwives (370 when acting as midwives and 21 when acting as maternity
nurses) and 37 were attended by the Salvation Army midwives (36 whilst
acting as midwives and 1 when acting as a maternity nurse).
All the domiciliary midwives employed at the end of the year were
qualified to administer gas and air analgesia and the 1 Salvation Army
midwife was also so qualified.
Four sets of apparatus for the purpose of the administration of gas and
air analgesia are stored in the Ambulance Depot and the apparatus is
transported to the house of the patient on the request of the midwife. The
Salvation Army midwives also have two machines which are kept at their
Branch Home and taken or sent to the home of the patient when required.
The service is freely available to all having home confinements, provided
there are no medical contra-indications, and each expectant mother on
booking the midwife is supplied with a leaflet explaining the nature and the
availability of the service.