London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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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
Bromley 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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confinement should be left to the midwife, but in the case
of abnormality the case should be referred to the doctor
who must have the required specialised experience. In
these directions lie safe maternity.
Seven hundred and ninety-eight births (live and still) were known to have occurred in Bromley during 1935, as follows:—
| Notified by midwives | 340 |
| Notified by doctors and parents | 439 |
| " Un-notified " | 19 |
| Total | 798 |
Of this number the midwives of the two district
nursing associations attended 272 confinements.
It is of interest to note that of all confinements in
Bromley, 4G3 were confined in nursing homes and
hospitals, while 335 were confined in their own homes.
Remarks on this matter have already been made under
the heading Maternal Mortality of this Report.
Midwives.
I. (a) The number of midwives practising in the
area served by the Local Authority for
maternity and child welfare at the end of
1935 was 19
(b) Number (i) employed by the Council
(ii) directly subsided by the Council
(iii) Employed by Voluntary Associations
12
(c) Number of cases during the year in which
the Council paid or contributed to the fee
of a midwife
II. (a) Number of cases attended by midwives during
the year:—
(i) as midwives 340
(ii) as maternity nurses 312