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East Battersea centres, which are attended by the Assistant Medical
Officer (Maternity and Child Welfare); and the Women's League of
Service, a voluntary organisation, whose Battersea centre for Maternity
and Child Welfare is linked up with the Council's scheme,
also holds an ante-natal clinic at their Southlands premises.
Each mother who books for admission to the Borough Maternity
Hospital, or for attendance by the Borough midwife in her own
home, is required to attend the ante-natal clinic periodically
before her confinement, and is seen at least once by the consultant
gynaecologist. Doctors and private midwives practising in Battersea
are also encouraged to send their maternity patients to the central
ante-natal clinic at the Borough Maternity Hospital for examination
and report without charge by the consultant gynaecologist.
Miss Bloomfield (Consultant Gynaecologist) reports:—
Tuesday Afternoon (Special) Clinic.
Fifty-two sessions of this clinic were held with a total attendance
of 818 patients (new patients numbered 733) and an average
attendance of 16 per clinic. Blood was taken for the Wassermann
test in 613 cases, with a positive reaction in 4 cases, and a doubtful
reaction in 8 cases.
A large number of gynaecological cases—some ante-natal,
where the pregnancy was complicated by some gynaecological
condition—others post-natal attended this clinic for diagnosis and
treatment.
Vaginal discharge.—Six cases attended with vaginal discharge,
in all of which films were taken from the cervix and treatment
instituted, the total attendances for treatment in these cases
numbering 18. Many other cases attended complaining of vaginal
discharge, in whom, after examination, treatment was not found
necessary.
Retroversion of the gravid uterus.—Seven of such cases attended,
often several times, requiring examination, and sometimes treatment
on each occasion.
Other cases.—Nineteen other ante-natal cases, with various
complaints, e.g., ordinary incontinence, varices of the vulva,
backache, attended this clinic.
Post-natal cases.—In all, 33 post-natal cases attended, e.g., for
prolapse, 9 cases, unhealed perineum, retroversion, &c.
Examinations under anæsthesia.—It is after this clinic, i.e.,
on Tuesday afternoons, that such examinations are done. During
1935, 24 of such examinations were done—16 for external version
of a breech presentation, with 13 successes and three failures—8 as
an aid to the diagnosis of presentation and position of the
foetus.