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
Merton and Morden 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
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Midwives. The Surrey County Council's scheme for a
salaried midwifery service under the Midwives Act, 1936, was
established in September, 1937. The scheme as far as this
urban district is concerned provided for three salaried midwives—two
appointed by the County Council and one by the
District Council acting as agents for the County Council. The
fees for the services of the midwives are:—
As maternity nurse 35/As
midwife 40/-
Provision is made for a reduced fee in necessitous cases.
The District Council's midwife commenced duty on
September 13th, and the following facts summarise her work
up to the end of the year:—
| .By midwife | Ante-natal | 186 |
| During confinement | 416 | |
| To midwife | Ante-natal | 68 |
| Post-natal | 59 | |
| 729 |
| Primip. | Multip. | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) As midwife | Live | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| (b) As maternity | Still | 1 | 1 | |
| nurse | Live | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Still | — | — | — | |
| 4 | 14 | 18 |
Medical Aid Forms sent—8
Reasons for sending:—
Discharging eyes 1
Rupture of Perineum 2
Pain in leg 1
Feebleness at birth 1
Prolonged 2nd Stage 1
Puerperal Pyrexia (mastitis) 1
Infantile convulsions 1
Number of the midwife's cases which
attended the Council's ante-natal
clinics 18
Percentage of total midwife's cases 100%
42