London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hornsey 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]
This page requires JavaScript
MIDWIFERY SERVICE
Section 23
The Supervisor of Midwives, Miss Curtis, reports that there has been
a slight increase in the number of domiciliary confinements during 1956,
as was anticipated in 1955. The number of midwives employed has
remained at eight.
The number of deliveries conducted by the Area midwives was 509,
an average of 63.6 per midwife.
In spite of the low number of home confinements four pupil midwives
were constantly in training throughout the year. These pupils are directed
from the Alexandra Maternity Home with which the domiciliary midwifery
service works in close co-operation.
Analgesia of all available types is now in common use and it is the
exception for a mother not to receive this type of relief.
Three midwives were sent for one week's residential refresher course
during the year.
Transport for midwives has improved and five midwives now use cars
with very great benefit to the service.
The following table shows an analysis of the midwives' work:—
| No. of deliveries attended | 509 |
| No. of visits made | 8,846 |
| No. of hospital confinements discharged before 14th day | 38 |
| No. of visits made | 354 |
| No. of cases in which medical aid was summoned | 143 |
| No. of cases in which gas and air analgesia was administered | 400 |
| No. of cases in which pethidine was administered | 265 |
| No. of cases in which trichloroethylene was administered | 33 |