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For the efficient working of a Post-Natal Clinic it is very
necessary that firstly it should be in the Clinical charge of an
experienced Obstetrician, preferably the doctor who has been in
attendance at the confinement, and secondly that in-patient facilities
should be readily available. In so far as the Mayday Hospital
cases are concerned the aim that the patient should be in charge
of the same doctor throughout her ante-natal, natal and post-natal
periods, has been attained. With St. Mary's Hospital the supervision
is not so close, because, although the Assistant M.O. for
obstetrics pays daily visits to the Council's patients in St. Mary's
Hospital, he takes no part in the actual confinement.
Mayday Hospital also affords the necessary facilities for inpatient
post-natal treatment, the obstetrical officer having one ward
allocated to him for this purpose. Table IV. (page 32) under the
Mayday Hospital section, gives the number of cases and the conditions
for which in-patient treatment was found necessary.
So far the advantage of having a skilled medical examination
after confinement is not appreciated by the majority of mothers.
Steady following up by the Health Visitors and the example and
interest of other mothers who have attended will doubtless have
the effect in due season of bringing about a change of attitude.
Efficient post-natal supervision, applied to all mothers, would m
all probability have as great or even greater an effect in the reduction
of Maternal mortality than ante-natal supervision. Some of the
minor injuries of parturition become the major complications of the
next confinement.
Gynaecological Clinic.
This Clinic is held concurrently with the Post-Natal Clinic and
the same doctor conducts both. In 1932, 177 new patients attended
and made 317 attendances.