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74
Both cases were carefully enquired into by the Medical
Officer of Health and the Health Visitor. Disinfection has
been carried out and every effort made to prevent further cases.
In addition to the above the following section of the rules
of the Central Midwives Board was rigorously enforced :—
"Whenever a midwife has been in attendance upon
a patient suffering from puerperal fever or from any other
illness supposed to be infectious, she must disinfect herself
and all her instruments and other appliances, to the satisfaction
of the local Sanitary Authority, and must have her
clothing thoroughly disinfected before going to another
labour. Unless otherwise directed by the supervising
authority, all washable clothing should be boiled, and
other clothing should be sent to be stoved (by the local
Sanitary Authority), and then exposed freely to the open
air for several days."
Every precaution was taken to prevent the disease being
conveyed to other women, and it is gratifying to remark that
much greater care is now taken by midwives in cleansing themselves
and their clothing and appliances than in previous years.
The keeping of temperature charts during the puerperal
period, as practised by the midwives, has proved of immense
benefit in helping to direct the attention of the midwife to the
possibility of puerperal complications, and enables her to recognise
the necessity of calling in medical assistance at the earliest
indication of danger.
In March, 1906, the London County Council called the
attention of Boards of Guardians in the Metropolis to the rules
made by the Central Midwives Board under the Midwives' Act,
1902, one of which rules prohibits a midwife from attending
alone upon certain cases of difficulty, and places on her the