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Ten were emergency deliveries where the patient had had no ante-natal care and
at 5 of these a doctor was present at the delivery. A doctor was present at the delivery of
49 still-births, 33 of which were fresh.
Neo-natal
deaths
38 neo-natal deaths were recorded in the first week of life and of these 18 died at
home and the remainder in hospital. 33 of the babies were premature and 12 had
congenital defects.
Peri-natal
mortality
rate
The record of neo-natal deaths is incomplete because of transfers to hospital.
The total number of still-births and deaths in the first week of life was 132, a perinatal
mortality rate of 12.9 per thousand births.
70 of the babies were premature and 28 had congenital defects.
Intra-gastric
oxygen
The Central Midwives Board has agreed that the administration of intra-gastric
oxygen is a proper function of the midwife, provided that she has been trained in its
use. During the year twelve sets of intra-gastric oxygen resuscitation apparatus were
purchased as an experiment for use by the Council's midwives in the treatment of
asphyxia of the new born.
A demonstration of the use of the apparatus was given at the British Hospital for
Mothers and Babies to a group of the Council's midwives and in October the sets
were distributed.
The apparatus issued is light and readily portable in a pocket in the side of the
delivery bag. Experience in the use of the apparatus has proved encouraging and sets
will be issued to all the Council's midwives as soon as training courses have been
completed.
District
training
for pupil
midwives
Approximately 70 per cent. of the Council's midwives are approved by the Central
Midwives Board as teachers under the Board's second period training scheme. Many
of the pupils are resident with the midwife teacher, others remain in hospital and go
out with the midwife on call.
The district midwifery home of the General Lying-in Hospital in South London
has been rebuilt and four pupils in training there have their district experience with
the Council's midwives.

It will be seen from these statistical tables that there was a slight increase in the
number of domiciliary confinements during 1956.
Of the total of 10,242, a doctor was booked to give maternity medical services in
2,722 cases but in only 1,084 (less than 50 per cent.) of these was the doctor present at
the confinement. In the remaining 7,520 in which no doctor was booked, a doctor
was called to attend the confinement in 286 cases.
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