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52
The reasons for suspension from practice were as follows:—
(1) Attended notified case of Puerperal Pyrexia stated to be due
to Pelvic Thrombo-phlebitis and left Femoral Thrombosis.
(2) Attended notified case of Puerperal Pyrexia stated to be due
to Pyelonephritis.
(3) Attended notified case of Puerperal Pyrexia stated to be due to
Parametritis. Swab from the throat of the midwife showed
the presence of Haemolytic Streptococci.
(4) Attended notified case of Puerperal Pyrexia stated to be due to
Phlegmasia Alba Dolens and Pulmonary Embolism.
(5) Attended patient whose child was notified during the
puerperium as suffering from Scarlet Fever and removed to the
Council's Isolation Hospital.
Medical aid was sought in 11 instances where the infant was found to
have inflamed or discharging eyes. Two of the cases were subsequently
notified as suffering from Ophthalmia Neonatorum. In all cases the
condition of the eyes cleared satisfactorily.
The Council has adopted the suggestion of the Minister of Health that
they should refrain from exercising their power of recovery of the fee of the
Medical Practitioner under Section 14 (4) of the Midwives Act, 1918, in
this class of rase.
Council District Midwifery Service.—During the year 699 cases were
attended by the twelve Council District Midwives. In 411 cases the midwives
were engaged to attend as midwives and in 288 as maternity nurses. The
cases resided in the following wards: Barkingside 132; North Hainault 118;
Cranbrook40; Park 42; Seven Kings 86; South Hainault 77; Loxford 83;
Clementswood 70; Goodmayes 51.
3,841 ante-natal visits were made during the year.
50 medical practitioners are now participating in the Council's scheme
for the ante-natal examination of patients who have engaged a Council
Midwife to attend them.
31 patients were referred by Private Doctors to the Council's Consultant
Obstetrician at the Ante-Natal Clinic for a further opinion. 12 of these
women and 19 other patients who had engaged a Council Midwife (15 as a
Midwife and 16 as a Maternity Nurse) were for various reasons admitted to
the Council's Maternity Home or other Institutions for confinement. 27
were admitted to the Maternity Home, 2 to the Ilford Isolation Hospital,
1 to the London Hospital and 1 to Oldchurch County Hospital, Romford.
In addition 2 patients were admitted to the Maternity Home for antenatal
treatment and subsequently confined at home.
A Doctor was called in at the time of the confinement or subsequently
to 102 of the 411 cases in which a midwife had been engaged.
Five cases were notified as suffering from Puerperal Pyrexia, 3 of these
cases were removed to the Isolation Hospital and one to King George Hospital.
Two of the cases had engaged their own Doctor to attend them.
Two babies were notified as suffering from Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
The condition of the eyes cleared satisfactorily. The midwife was engaged
as a midwife in both cases.
Of the infants born there were 5 stillbirths from the following causes:—
Breech presentation 1
Domestic worries 1
Cause unknown 3