London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Premature
babies
During 1955, 479 babies weighing 5½ lb. or less were born to 447 mothers (46 sets
of twins). 33 of these were still-born, 116 babies were transferred to hospital and the
remaining 330 babies were nursed at home, making satisfactory progress when discharged
by the midwife.
Midwives Act, 1951
Inspections of midwives and maternity nurses are carried out by four non-medical
supervisors who maintain a 24 hour supervision of the Council's domiciliary midwifery
service. They also supervise and inspect the district midwives employed by hospitals
and by district nursing associations. They carry out the routine inspections of all
independent midwives and maternity nurses required by the rules of the Central
Midwives Board ; investigate all cases of puerperal pyrexia, skin and eye infection,
neo-natal death and still-birth occurring on the district; arrange, if necessary, for the
suspension of midwives coming into contact with infection and scrutinise all medical
aid notices issued bv midwives.
Notification
of intention
to practise
The lecture programme was :
| Lecturer | Subject |
|---|---|
| 1. Bernard E. Schlesinger, Esq., O.B.E., M.A., M.D., F.R.C.P. | ' Care and Management of the Premature Baby ' |
| 2. Dr. Hilda Roberts, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.C.H. | ' Administration of Trilene during Labour ' |
| 3. E. Robert Rees, Esq., M.D., M.R.C.S., M.R.C.O.G. | ' Uterine Inertia, Causes and Management' |
| 4. C. W. F. Burnett, Esq., M.D., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.O.G. | ' Obstetric Emergencies in Post-Partum Period ' |
| 5. Dr. Mary D. Sheridan, M.A., M.D., D.C.H. | ' The Neglectful Mother and Problem Families' |
| 6. Ian Taylor, Esq., M.D., M.R.C.P., D.P.H. | ' Poliomyelitis ' |
| FILM—following lecture | ' The British Midwife ' |
Refresher
courses
Revised Rules of the Central Midwives Board, operative from 1st February, 1955,
require that by the end of 1958 every practising midwife must have attended a course
of instruction approved by the Board and, further, must attend similar courses thereafter
at five-yearly intervals. By Section 17 (1) (g) of the Midwives Act, 1951, the duty
is placed upon the Council as local supervising authority to provide or arrange for the
provision of such courses, to enable midwives practising within its area to comply
with the Rules of the Board.
Lectures to
midwives
So tar as the Council's own domiciliary midwives are concerned, it has been the
practice for the past ten years to send them every five years to the one-week residential
summer schools organised by the Royal College of Midwives which are approved by
the Board. The Council has, however, drawn the attention of all other midwives
practising in London to their new liability to undergo refresher courses at least once
every five years if they wish to be allowed to continue to practise in London after 1958.
Two courses of six lectures each were given at the County Hall in January and
February, 1955, to midwives working in London, Middlesex and Surrey. These courses
were open to all who had notified their intention to practise in those areas and were
attended bv 395 midwives.
Notifications of intention to practise were received as follows :
| 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As midwives | 1,337 | 1,331 | 1,171 | 1,142 | 1,193 |
| As maternity nurses | 205 | 232 | 175 | 168 | 150 |