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66
SECTION 4.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The Local Supervisory Authority for the district under the
Midwives Acts, 1902 and 1918 is the Essex County Council. B\
arrangement a number of inspections and investigations were carried
out by the Medical Officer of Health regarding- the work of
7 midwives who had notified the Local Supervisory Authority of
their intention to practice within the district during the year.
It is gratifying to report that there has been an increasing
tendency amongst local midwives to co-operate in the Authority's
Ante-natal and Infant Welfare schemes as regards the care of
expectant and nursing mothers not under the supervision of a
medical practitioner.
Reference was made in my Report for last year to the practic e
of unqualified women acting in the capacity of maternity nurses
during the lying-in period, an undesirable arrangement, and one
which falls considerably short of the ideal. Although definite
figures are not available, it might be stated that in Barking during
1925 23 per cent, of confinements were nursed by unqualified
women.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTH ACTS, 1907 and 1915.
The above Acts require all live births and still births of seven
months and over to be notified to the Medical Officer of Health
within 30 hours, being an additional requirement to the Registration
Act of 1836, by which all live births must be registered within
six weeks.