View report page

69
Panel of Consultants.
A medical practitioner in attendance upon a woman resident in Shoreditch
can upon application to the Medical Officer of Health obtain the advice of a consultant
upon any condition arising during pregnancy, parturition or the puerperium.
The names of the consultants who are available under this arrangement will
be found in the section of this report dealing with Staff.
The services of a consultant were engaged on one occasion during the year
covered by this report.
NATAL WORK.
Midwives.
The total number of midwives on the roll practising in Shoreditch at the end of
the year 1933 was 38. During the year 12 were added and 13 were removed. At
the end of the year there were 37 midwives practising in the Borough. The number
of births attended by midwives was 600 which represents 41 per cent. of the total
births notified during the year.
Municipal Midwife.
The Municipal Midwife was appointed in 1931 for the purpose of attending those
expectant mothers in the Borough who apply for her services (municipal cases) she
also attends the confinements and acts as maternity nurse in cases conducted in
Shoreditch by medical students from St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The full fee for
municipal cases is 25s. for the first child and 21s. for other children, and the Council
have approved a comprehensive scheme under which these charges can be remitted
in whole or in part to those whose income falls below a certain scale.
The Council receives 15s. from St. Bartholomew's Hospital for every case in which
the municipal midwife acts as maternity nurse in the manner described.
Places of Confinement.
Of the 1,444 confinements which occurred during 1934, 725, or 50.2 per cent.,
took place in institutions, and 719, or 49.8 per cent., in the homes of the women
concerned.
Maternity Dressings.
During the year 660 sterilised maternity outfits were supplied to mothers
through the ante-natal clinics and the midwives practising in the borough. The
use of these outfits undoubtedly tends to make the confinement more hygienic. The
patients who received the sets were asked to contribute what they could afford towards
the cost.