View report page

166
The cases were as follows: Puerperal pyelitis, threatened abortion,
transverse lie, persistent vomiting of pregnancy, disproportion,
prolonged occipito-posterior labour, disproportion, contracted pelvis,
puerperal septicaemia, acute vulvitis, prolonged labour, threatened
abortion, puerperal sepsis, puerperal pyelitis, pregnancy and rheumatic
carditis, obstructed labour due to fibroid, pre-eclampsia, postpartum
haemorrhage, prolonged labour and inertia, puerperal
phlebitis, vulval haematoma, prolonged labour, puerperal sepsis and
mania, puerperal parametritis, ectopic gestation, progressive uterus
neonatorum, elderly primigravida.
In addition, he was asked by the Medical Superintendent of
Mayday Hospital to give an opinion on the obstetric and gynaecological
aspects of 34 cases in the medical and surgical wards of the
hospital.
The preceding pages deal with the maternity service in the
clinical control of the Assistant M.O.H. for Obstetrics. In the
following paragraphs some aspects of the general maternity work
of the borough are reviewed.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE CONSULTATIONS.
There are 17 Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, 16 of
which are conducted by the Croydon Mothers' and Infants'
Welfare Association, and 1 by the Local Authority. A total of
21 sessions per week are held and at all of these a doctor and a
nurse on the staff of the Health Department attend.
During 1936, 2,234 new cases under 1 year of age, and 772
over a year of age attended for the first time; this is an increase
of 10 in the first class and a decrease of 85 in the second class.
The total attendances of infants and young children from 0—5 years
decreased from 79,299 in 1935 to 76,109 in 1936. Consultations
with doctors decreased in numbers from 23,924 to 23,733. 231
expectant mothers were seen, an increase of 36 on 1935, and a
total of 1,130 visits to the centres were paid by them. The total
of all visits to the Centres was 77,239, a decrease of 2,912 compared
with 1935.
The highest average attendance of mothers and babies at
each session was recorded at Municipal (104.6), St. Jude's (88.9),
and Waddon (85.6). The fall in the number of total attendances
has been caused by a deliberate restriction in the frequency of
attendances. This is done to keep numbers within reasonable
limits so that adequate attention can be given by the doctors and
nurses to cases needing their expert advice.