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81
THE FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT
on the
WILLESDEN MATERNITY HOSPITAL.
REPORT ON THE WORK FROM 1st JANUARY, 1935,
to 31st DECEMBER, 1935,
By ARNOLD WALKER, M.A., M.B., B.Ch., F.R.C.S., M.C.O.G.
The work of the hospital during 1935 has been carried out very much more easily and with
less anxiety than during the preceding four years. Although the results were satisfactory for the period
from 1931 to 1934 inclusive, it was realised that a Maternity Hospital with all its cases in two large
wards cannot apply the safeguards regarded as necessary in modern maternity hospitals. With the
new arrangements of the hospital adequate accommodation is provided for ante-natal cases, for the
isolation of cases, for the babies and, above all, for the women in labour. When, eventually, the old
wards are replaced, it is hoped that units similar to the new D Block will take their place.
Although, nominally, the extension more than doubled the number of beds, the number for
straightforward delivered cases was only increased by a little over 50 per cent. The remainder of
the beds are allotted to ante-natal cases and to cases isolated in single rooms for medical reasons.
During the year no maternal deaths occurred. This is the first year in which no woman lost
her life in the hospital as the result of child bearing and the third successive year that no patient
attended by the Council's service ante-natally and throughout labour has been lost. Over 2,500
consecutive booked cases have now been delivered safely.
A figure of this sort, although it undoubtedly represents a high standard of care and skill on the
part of all concerned is undoubtedly influenced by good fortune and the three deaths occurring in the
first 500 cases dealt with in 1931 and 1932 were quite beyond the control of the Council's service.
It is probable that the entirely unavoidable maternal mortality rate is in the neighbourhood of 2 per
thousand and although every possible safeguard is taken, it is, perhaps, too much to hope that this
remarkable result will be repeated in the next 2,500 cases.
The stillbirth rate and infant death rate approximate to the average for maternity hospitals.
The care of the new born infant has, in all large voluntary maternity hospitals, been handed over to
physicians who specialise in diseases of children with excellent results. Obstetricians are notoriously
ignorant of this side of maternity work and to this the Council's Consulting Obstetrician is no exception.
He hopes that eventually a pediatrician will be appointed to direct the care of the babies.
Statistical Details of the 859 Cases dealt with during the Year.
Cases completed 859
A. Booked at the Health Centres 843
Discharged well 842
Delivered elsewhere 1
Transferred 0
Died 0
B. Admitted as Emergencies 16
Discharged well 16
Transferred 0
Died 0