View report page

36
Still-birth 12
Death:
Of mother 1
Of child 7
Laying out of a Dead Body 8
Artificial Feeding of Infant 19
Liability of Midwife to be a source of infection 16
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—The notifications of sending for
medical assistance on account of the health of the child included
twenty-one cases of inflammation of, or discharge from, the eyes.
Four of these cases were notified by the medical practitioner as
cases of ophthalmia neonatorum.
Visits to midwives.—Routine visits to the number of 33 were
made by Dr. Dorothy Taylor who acts as Supervisor of Midwives.
In addition, nine visits were made to maternity nurses with regard
to their work in the district.
Payment of medical fees.—The Town Council paid fees to local
medical practitioners, called in by midwives, amounting to
£224 15s. Od. in respect of 188 claims submitted. The fees were
paid in accordance with the scale laid down by the Minister of
Health. Where the circumstances permitted, the whole, or part,
of the fee was recovered from the husband of the patient. The
amount recovered was £52 14s. 5d.
As midwives occasionally experienced difficulty in obtaining
the services of a doctor in an emergency it was considered desirable
to compile a rota of medical practitioners who were willing to
answer emergency calls. The medical practitioners were circularized
with regard to this rota, and as a result 54 doctors indicated their
desire to be included. The rota serves a very useful purpose,
but it would be of greater value if steps were taken to ensure that
it contained the names only of medical practitioners who have had
special experience of obstetrics.