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(4) Maternity and Nursing Homes.—Under Section 9 (2) of
the Nursing Homes Registration Act, application was made to the
Middlesex County Council to delegate their powers to the Ealing
Town Council under this Act. This application was not acceded
to and a representation was made in conjunction with other District
Councils within the County to the Minister of Health requesting
him to direct the Middlesex County Council to delegate to the
Ealing Town Council the powers and duties under the said Act
and at the same time requesting him to designate the Ealing Town
Council as the Supervising Authority under the Midwives Acts
when this has been rendered possible by legislation.
Since the representation was made to the Minister of Health
the Local Government Act, 1929, which makes it possible for the
Minister of Health to designate the Town Council as the Supervising
Authority under the Midwives Act, has been passed. The
Minister of Health has not yet replied to this representation.
(5) Maternal Mortality.—Increasing public attention has been
devoted to the question of maternal mortality, notice being drawn
to the fact that the number of maternal deaths arising in the course
of, or consequent on, child-birth has not materially decreased during
the last 20 years, and to the need for the investigation of all maternal
deaths and of puerperal fever.
It has therefore been arranged to co-operate in such an investigation
instituted by the Minister of Health which will take place
over practically the whole country. For this purpose the Assistant
Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Edna Langston, will investigate all
such cases as they arise carrying out the suggestions and
directions put forward by the Minister of Health.
It is hoped that when a sufficiently large number of cases have
been investigated some light will be thrown on the causes and on
the means of prevention.
Legislation in Force.
In the following list are noted all the Local Acts, Adoptive
Acts, Byelaws and Regulations in force in the Borough:—
The Ealing Corporation Act, 1905, confers additional powers
on the Council with respect to certain sanitary matters, the provision
of dustbins, the drainage of houses by combined operation, etc.