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34
SECTION C.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The whole of the maternity and child welfare services previously
operated by this authority were, on 5th July, 1948, taken
over by the Kent County Council. Statistics given therefore are
in respect of the period 1st January, 1948, to 5th July, 1948, unless
specifically stated.
MUNICIPAL MIDWIFERY SERVICE.
The six municipal midwives employed by the Council carried
out the whole of the domiciliary midwifery practice of the
Borough. No notices were received in respect of independent
midwives practising within the area during the year.
Routine work of the municipal midwives is shown in the
following figures:—
Total number of bookings 102
Confinements attended 112
Hospital cases (ante-natally and post-natally supervised by
the midwives) 110
Visits— Ante-natal 1,373
Post-natal 1,922
Owing to the very acute housing shortage and overcrowded
conditions under which so many families are living at the present
time, the number of domiciliary confinements is below that of
pre-war years.
ANTE-NATAL CLINIC.
The Ante-Natal Clinic is held at the North Clinic, Station
Road, with sessions, as follow:—
Mondays, at 2 p.m. with Doctor and two Midwives in attendance.
Mondays, at 4.30 p.m., with two Midwives in attendance.
Thursdays, at 2 p.m., with Doctor and two Midwives in attendance.
Specimens of blood are taken at the Thursday afternoon
session for Wassermann, Kahn and Haemoglobin tests. An investigation
into the Rhesus factor is also made in an endeavour
to combat and reduce the prevalence of infant mortality in
babies under one week old.
The activities of the Ante-Natal Clinic are shown in the
following figures:—
Number of sessions by Doctor and Midwife 51
Number of sessions by Midwives 24
New cases examined by Doctor 222
Total of all medical examinations 443
Total of all Midwives' examinations 177
Number of specimens of blood taken 438