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63
Midwives Act, 1951
During the year the Midwives Act, 1951, which consolidated, without amendment,
the law contained in the Midwives Acts, 1902 to 1950, and repealed (with the
exception of certain provisions of the 1936 Act) the previous legislation on this subject,
became law.
Notifications
of
intention
to practise

Notification to practise as a midwife includes practice as a maternity nurse.
The Council, as local supervising authority under the Midwives Act, continued
to inspect midwives and maternity nurses in accordance with the rules of the Central
Midwives Board.
The supervisors of midwives investigate all cases of puerperal pyrexia and of
children with skin and eye affections. On five occasions midwives were suspended
from practice for varying periods to prevent the spread of infection.
Lectures,
etc. to
midwives
Two courses each of six post-certificate lectures and three all-day intensive
courses each consisting of four ante- and post-natal demonstrations at hospitals
were arranged in conjunction with Middlesex and Surrey County Councils. The
number of tickets issued to midwives for the lectures was 340 and for the demonstrations
41.
Dangerous
Drugs
Regulations
The Dangerous Drugs Regulations, 1950, provide that midwives can obtain
supplies of medicinal opium, tincture of opium and pethidine only by production of
a drug book and their personal registers of cases. Records of supplies and administrations
of the drugs have to be kept in the drug book.
The Central Midwives Board requires that "a drug should not be used by a
midwife on her own responsibility unless in the course of her obstetric training,
whether before or after enrolment, she has been thoroughly instructed in its use and
is familiar with its dosage and methods of administration or application." During
the year two further lectures for midwives on the use of dangerous drugs were held
at County Hall.
Summoning
of
medical
aid,
doctors'
fees, etc.
The number of medical aid notices issued by midwives during the year, under
section 14 (1) of the Midwives Act, 1951, was:—
By domiciliary midwives 6,324
By midwives in institutions with less than
15 beds and/or no R.M.O. 145
6,469