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42
Conference
at Central
Midwives
Board Hall.
In the last few years it has been the custom for a conference to be held between
members of the Central Midwives Board and representatives of local supervising
authorities, with a view to considering whether any alteration is necessary in the
rules, and generally to clear up any points of doubt. A conference was held
on 2nd November, 1927, and the two proposals put forward by the Council were (1)
that the Board should give a definite ruling as to whether it does or does not require
a daily attendance by a midwife, and (2) that the duration of the stages of labour be
re-inserted in the Midwives' Register. Neither of these suggestions, however, was
adopted bv the Board.
Maternal
mortality,
The Council has been exercised with regard to maternal mortality in the practice
of certified midwives, and has therefore prepared a report which indicates that
there has been scarcely any decrease in the rates of maternal mortality for years
past. It is hoped that a tightening up of the rules, together with an improved class
of midwife, may result in improvement in the future. Further investigations
into the subject of maternal mortality in midwives' practices are at present
proceeding.
Midwives
and
Maternity
Homes Act,
1926.
Part I. of this Act amends the Midwives Acts, 1902 and 1918 in various particulars.
It makes the payment of compensation compulsory when a midwife
has been suspended from practice with a view to preventing the spread of infection.
Formerly this was optional on the part of the local supervising authority. As this
duty is now obligatory on the Council, the payments will rank for grant under the
Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918. The Act also provides a limitation of time,
viz., two months from the date of his first visit, within which a medical practitioner
must submit his claim when called in by a midwife in a case of emergency. 3,535
claims were submitted during the year 1927, and the total amount involved was
£3,012 11s. 0d. About 25 per cent. of this amount will, it is estimated, in due course
be recovered from patients.
Lying-in
homes.
The powers of the Council with regard to the registration of lying-in homes
are included in Part 4 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1921.
By-laws under the Act have been made in pursuance of Section 18, and these are
being duly carried out by the keepers of lying-in homes, and are of great assistance
to the Council when any complaint is made with regard to the home.
Children
Act, 1908.
The powers of the Council under the Children Act, 1908, Part 1, with regard to
infant life protection, were fully indicated in the Annual Report for 1921. The
work of inspection is carried out by 14 qualified nurses acting as infant life protection
visitors, and enquiries with regard to unnotified infants and other irregularities arc
made by male inspectors attached to the department. Nurse infants kept under
specified unsatisfactory conditions may, under Section 5 of the Act, be removed to
a place of safety. In London the poor law institutions are so used. During the
year four nurse infants were so removed, the same number as in 1926. The Council
is permitted by the Act to grant total or partial exemption from inspection in cases
where circumstances appear to warrant such a course. No application for exemption
was made during the year 1927.
The homes where nurse infants are kept are from time to time visited with a
view to ascertaining whether the sanitary condition of the premises is satisfactory.
During 1927, 841 reports, as compared with 870 in 1926, were made. The premises
were found to be satisfactory in 553 cases, as compared with 498 in 1926. Sanitary
defects were discovered in 107 homes, as compared with 165 the previous year, while
overcrowding was reported in 85 homes, as compared with 111 in 1926. In ten homes
overcrowding and sanitary defects were found, as compared with 22 in 1926. In 86
cases no action was taken owing to the removal of the infant prior to the visit of the
inspector. In addition, 308 special enquiries into various irregular conditions have
been made and the necessary action taken. Should a case of serious sanitary [defect
be detected the attention of the Borough Council is drawn thereto. In some cases