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63
Gas and Air Analgesia.—During 1957 gas and air analgesia was
administered in 454 cases, of which 412 were attended by the Domiciliary
Midwives (376 when acting as midwives and 36 when acting as maternity
nurses) and 42 were attended by the Salvation Army midwife (38 when
acting as a midwife and 4 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 one Salvation Army
midwife was also so qualified.
Arrangements continued in operation for the midwives using cars in
the course of their duties each to hold a machine at their respective homes
to take with them to their own cases and there are three machines stored
at the Ambulance Station for the use of the remaining midwives. With
regard to the latter, the relatives of the patient are requested to collect a
machine, where possible, but when they cannot do this, arrangements are
made for a machine to be transported from the Ambulance Station to the
house by a hired car.
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.

*Includes 202 running concurrently with Doctors' Clinics.
All patients booked for admission to the Maternity Hospital are
medically examined at the Ante-Natal Clinics. The first examination takes
place at the 10th week of pregnancy, or as soon as possible after that
time if the booking for hospital admission is not made until after the 10th
week. Further, arrangements are made for all hospital booked patients to
see the Obstetric Registrar at either the llford Maternity Hospital or the
Mayesbrook Ante-Natal Clinic at about the 35th week of pregnancy.
In conjunction with the Ante-Natal Clinics at the Manford Way and
Mayesbrook Clinics the Health Visitors hold classes for relaxation exercises.
During 1957 there were 98 sessions at the Mayesbrook Clinic, with
685 attendances, and 101 sessions at Manford Way Clinic, with 811
attendances. A weekly session run by Health Visitors was also commenced
at Valentines Mansion in June, 1957, and 24 sessions were held in the
year, with 172 attendances.