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*In addition, 76 cases outside Willesden were attended by Midwives from this Home
In addition, the Municipal Midwives attended 133 cases, totalling 1,259 visits to mothers who were discharged
from the Willesden Maternity Hospital before the tenth day of the puerperium Owing to the closure of
wards in the Willesden Maternity Hospital, due to shortage of staff and redecoration, it was found necessary to
discharge patients before the tenth day The Municipal Midwives supervised the post-natal care of these mothers
in their homes up to at least the fourteenth day
The number of cases attended by Midwives practising in Willesden, but living outside Willesden during 1947,
was nil
During the year ended 31st December, 1947, 367 notifications were received from Midwives practising in
Willesden, in accordance with the rules of the Central Midwives Board (Section E)
Of the 367 notifications, 365 were received from Midwives living in Willesden and 2 from Midwives practising
in, but living outside, Willesden
320 of the notifications received were in respect of calling in Medical Aid, 259 in respect of the mother,
and 61 in respect of the child
Fees paid by the Council to Medical Practitioners called in by Midwives during the year ended 31st December,
1947, amounted to £437 4s 6d.
The tenth year's working of the Domiciliary Midwifery Scheme and the Second-period Training School
for pupil midwives has been very satisfactory
The number of whole-time Municipal Midwives is 11, 4 of whom are relief midwives In addition, under
arrangements made with the Willesden Borough Council, Queen Charlotte's Hospital District Home deals with
midwifery cases in the area allotted to the Home, and the Willesden District Nursing Association deals with the
Maternity Nursing throughout Willesden
Tut Watling and Willesden Training School for Second-period Pupil Midwives—During the year
40 pupil midwives worked on the district
Of the 747 confinements dealt with by the Municipal Midwives, the pupil midwives attended 677 under the
direct or indirect supervision of the ?vlidwives The pupil midwives took responsibility for the ante-natal care,
attended and took responsibility for the labours and nursed the mothers and their babies during the 14 days
immediately following labour
In addition to the work shown above in respect of the Municipal Midwives' cases in Willesden, the pupil
midwives attended :—
Medical Ante-Natal Clinics 357
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics for mothers and babies 51
The Lecture Course at the Royal College of Midwives
A Discussion Class, each week, taken by the Supervisor of Midwives at the Health
Department
Of the 40 pupil midwives, 27 sat for their final midwifery examination, 21 passed, 3 failed, but 2 passed at
a subsequent examination
Municipal District Midwives Ante-Natal Clinic—These Clinics were commenced in July, 1947, and
have been much appreciated by both the expectant mothers and the Midwives They are very useful in bringing the
Midwife in personal contact with other branches and members of the Midwifery Service, and have also played an
important function in the education of both the mother and the pupil midwife
From July to December, 1947, 50 of these Clinics were held and 952 attendances were made
The Administration of Gas and Air Analgesia—The number of mothers to-whom gas and air analgesia
was administered during labour increased from 7.7 per cent. for the first six months ended 27th June, 1947, to
54-3 per cent. for the last six months of the year
This is a satisfactory method for providing the relief of pain during child-birth It is self-administered by
the mother and supervised by the Midwife In order that the maximum relief can be obtained from this form of
analgesia it is necessary for a mother to be taught the correct method of using the apparatus, and this is taught by
the Midwives at the Ante-natal Clinics The majority of mothers who had gas and air analgesia appreciated it very
much indeed