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119
Of 26 midwives (attached to the Essex County Nursing Association)
who notified their intention to practise during tlie year, an
average of five were in practice throughout the year. Tlie remainder
were pupils who notified their intention to practise after
passing the examination of the Central Midwives Board, but were
not practising in the Borough for longer than six weeks before
being sent to other districts in Essex.
In accordance with arrangements made witli Medical Officers
of Health of neighbouring Supervising Authorities for Midwives,
visits of routine inspection by the Inspector of Midwives were paid
only to midwives residing in the Borough. Eighteen such visits
to the homes of midwives were made during the year. In addition,
the Inspector made special visits to, or had interviews with, midwives
on 18 occasions.
Suspension of Midwives from Practice.
A midwife in private practice who had been found to have
haemolytic streptococci in her nose and throat during October,
1934, had a similar infection in January, 1935. A patient whom
she attended developed uterine sepsis duo to h;emolytic streptococcal
infection, and was removed to the Isolation Block of
Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital for treatment.
It was considered advisable to suspend the midwife from
practice, and arrangements were made with the Essex County
Nursing Association to undertake the midwife's work during the
period of suspension. No cases occurred in this period of suspension
(6 days) so the question of compensation to the midwife did not
arise.
In March a second patient attended by the same midwife
developed puerperal pyrexia. Haemolytic streptococci were
recovered from a vaginal swab of the patient, and from a throat
swab of the midwife. The midwife was suspended from practice
and arrangements were made with the Essex County Nursing
Association as in the previous instance. During the period of the
midwife's suspension from duty two cases occurred, for which she
received compensation.
At this time the midwife in question was disposing of her
practice, and the arrangement with the Essex County Nursing
Association to undertake work in her practice was terminated as
soon as the incoming midwife was available for duty.