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174
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1911.
Infant life
protection.
The Council administers (except in the City of London) Part. I. of the Children Act, 1908, and
has delegated its powers in respect of this Part of the Act to the Public Control Committee. A staff
of 2 male and 8 female inspectors is employed under the direction of the chief officer of the public control
department upon this work.
The duties of the Council under the Act include the institution of inquiries as to persons who
undertake the nursing and maintenance of infants, the fixing of the number of infants which may be
kept in a dwelling as to which notice has been given, and the appointment of infant protection visitors
to inspect places where infants are kept. . The Council is required to satisfy itself as to the proper maintenance
of the infants, and may arrange for the removal from a notified house of an infant improperly
kept. Notice has to be given to the Council in cases where one infant is received, and the age limit
of infants is 7 years. The Act also contains a provision making void any policy of insurance on the
life of an infant when taken out by any person who shall have the custody of such infant for reward,
and making it an offence for any such person to insure or attempt to insure the life of such infant.
Offences under Part I. of the Act are punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months,
or a fine not exceeding £25, and the fines are paid to the Council.
On 31st March, 1909, the number of homes under inspection by the Council's officers was 268,
containing 668 infants, and on 31st December, 1911, these numbers had risen to 2,539 and 3,257
respectively.
Under section 2 (2) of the Act the Council, in cases where any infants have been placed out to
nurse by any philanthropic society, may, if satisfied that the interests of the infants are properly safeguarded,
authorise the society to exercise the powers of infant protection visitors in respect of such
infants, subject, however, to the obligation to furnish periodical reports. The Council approved
17 societies for this purpose, but during 1911 three of these were, at their own request, relieved of the
obligations which they had undertaken in the matter, in addition to one previously released.
Powers and
duties of the
Council
under the
Midwives
Act, 1902.
By section 8 of the Midwives Act, 1902, every council of a county or county borough in England
and Wales is constituted a local supervising authority over midwives within its area. The duties of
a local supervising authority are:—(1) to exercise general supervision over all midwives practising
within the county or county borough; (2) to investigate charges of malpractice, negligence or misconduct
on the part of any practising midwife; (3) to suspend from practice any midwife if such
suspension appears necessary in order to prevent the spread of infection; (4) to report at once to
the Central Midwives Board the name of any midwife convicted of an offence; (5) during the month
of January in each year to send to the Central Midwives Board a list of all midwives who during the
preceding year had notified their intention to practise within the county; (6) to keep a current copy
of the roll of midwives accessible at all times for public inspection; (7) to report at once to the Central
Midwives Board the death of any midwife or any change in the name or address of any midwife; and
(8) to give due notice to the effect of the provisions of the Act to all persons using the title of midwife.
In addition to these duties, every local supervising authority is by section 5 of the Act compelled
to pay its proportion of any deficit which may occur in the expenses of the Central Midwives Board,
provided such deficit is approved by the Privy Council.
Supervision
of midwives.
In order to carry out its duties of general supervision, the Council has appointed two women
inspectors, who are duly qualified medical practitioners, to pay visits of inspection to midwives
practising within the County, as well as to make special investigation into any case of puerperal fever
occurring in the practice of a midwife, and to attend if possible any inquest held upon the body of
a woman or infant upon whom a midwife had been in attendance. During the year 1911 there were
76 cases of puerperal fever in the practice of midwives, and 100 inquests were held in which midwives
were concerned, 11 being on the bodies of women, and 89 on the bodies of children. A case of puerperal
fever also occurred in the practice of an uncertified person, and inquests were held on the bodies of three
children who were attended at birth by women who had not been certified by the Central Midwives
Board.
Investigation
of
charges
against
midwives.
Charges of malpractice, negligence or misconduct on the part of six midwives were investigated
during the year, with the result that the Central Midwives Board were informed that in five instances
prima facie cases (negligence and misconduct, 2 cases; misconduct, 2 cases; negligence, 1 case) had
been established, the charge in the sixth case not being sustained. The names of the midwives charged
with misconduct were removed from the roll, but the Board had not during the period covered by this
report, announced its decision with regard to the remaining charges.
During 1911 the Central Midwives Board announced its decisions with regard to two certified
midwives against whom charges had been brought during the preceding year, the name of one of the
midwives charged with misconduct being removed from the roll, while the other midwife was censured.
Suspensions—con
victions.
It was not found necessary during the year to suspend any midwife from practice, but a midwife
in the County was convicted of having performed an illegal operation and was sentenced to five years'
penal servitude, her name being subsequently removed from the roll of midwives.
Number of
midwives
practising
in London.
During the year ended 31st December, 1911, 557 midwives notified to the Council their intention
of practising within the County during the year; and, in addition to these, 12 notices were received
from persons who had acted as midwives on specific occasions, and 34 notices from midwives who intended
to practise within the County during periods shorter than a year.
Notitication
of provisions
of the
Midwives
Act.
Before 1st April, 1910, a woman who was not certified under the Midwives Act, 1902, was not
prohibited from attending cases of childbirth, providing she did not take or use the title of midwife
or any title of a similar nature; but or that date sub-section 2 of section 1 of the Act came into
operation. This sub-section prohibits a woman who is not certified under the Act from habitually and
for gain attending women in childbirth, legally qualified medical practitioners and persons rendering