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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1942
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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20
THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT
on the
WILLESDEN MATERNITY HOSPITAL,
for the Year 1942.
By ARNOLD WALKER, M.A., M.B., B.Ch., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.O.G.
During 1942, the hospital has worked at high pressure and the number of cases dealt with is practically
the same as in the record year of 1940. In November, the 10,000th case to pass through the hospital since
it was opened in 1931 was discharged. Of these cases, 9 booked cases died giving a puerperal mortality of
under 1 per 1,000 cases.
The death which occurred during 1942 was due to chorea gravidarum, the same condition which resulted
in the death which occurred during 1941. In view of the extreme rarity of deaths from this cause, the
coincidence is remarkable.
Table No. 28.
Statistical Details or the 1,173 Cases dealt with during 1942.
| Cases completed | 1,173 | Toxaemia of Pregnancy admitted | |||
| A. Booked at the Health Centres | 1,158 | for treatment | 41 | ||
| Discharged well . Transferred | 1,154 3 | Eclampsia Hydramnios | 1 2 | ||
| Died | 1 | Puerperal Pyrexia | 29 | ||
| B. Admitted as Emergencies | 15 | Uterine Infection | 3 | ||
| Discharged well Delivered elsewhere | 14 1 | Urinary Infection Breast Infection | 8 5 | ||
| Of the 1,158 booked cases, 664 | Thrombo-phlebitis Pulmonary Infection | 3 4 | |||
| were primiparae and 494 were | anfpmifl, | 1 | |||
| multipara. Of the 15 emergency cases, 6 were | No cause found | 5 | |||
| primiparae and 9 were multipara. | Operations performed | ||||
| Presentations— | Forceps delivery | 35 | |||
| Occipito Anterior | 899 | The forceps rate was therefore | |||
| Occipito Posterior | 201 | 3 per cent. | |||
| Normal Breech | 27 | Caesarean Section | 7 | ||
| Abnormal Breech | 6 | Placenta Praevis | 3 | ||
| Twins | 22 | Previous Caesarean Section | 2 | ||
| Face | 4 | Disproportion | 2 | ||
| Shoulder | 2 ' | Manual Removal of Placenta. | 9 | ||
| Miscarriages | 11 | Induction of Premature Labour | 12 | ||
| Ante-partum Haemorrhage— | Toxaemia | 11 | |||
| Placenta Praevia | 5 | Hydramnios | 1 | ||
| Accidental Haemorrhage | 3 | Blood Transfusion | 2 | ||
| Prolapse of Cord | 7 | Stored Blood | 2 |
1,183 viable children were born to 1,161 mothers. Of these, 48 were stillborn and 11 died.
THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT
on the
SUPERVISION OF MIDWIVES
for the
Year 1941.
t
28 Midwives gave notice of their intention to practise in Willesden in 1941, 12 of these being in the
Central Middlesex County Hospital.
Midwives practising and living in Willesden attended 1,146 cases either in hospital or in the district
as midwives or maternity nurses as against 1,700 in 1940. In addition 18 midwifery or maternity cases were
attended in Willesden by midwives living outside Willesden.
The 6 Municipal District Midwives attended 256 midwifery cases in 1941 and in addition answered
4 emergency calls during air raids and carried out ante-natal care of 42 cases which were subsequently
confined elsewhere.
Midwives attached to Queen Charlotte's Hospital District Home, Kilburn, attended 140 midwifery
cases. 78 of these were Willesden residents attended on behalf of the Willesden Council with in addition
3 cases attended for ante-natal care only. 62 were cases attended outside Willesden.
Midwives attached to the Willesden District Nursing Association attended 129 Maternity cases on
behalf of the Council.