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Treatment oe Minor Ailments.—Children suffering from simple
dietetic ailments are treated at the Infant Welfare Centres. 130 belts and
one truss have been supplied to infants suffering from hernia during 1946.
A certain number of infants were brought to the Clinics at Newbury Hall
and Mayesbrook Clinic to receive treatment for minor ailments.
Midwives.—There are 19 State certified midwives (including the
Superintendent and 13 Council midwives) resident and practising in the
district. In addition there were at the end of the year, 13 State certified
midwives at the Council's Maternity Home and 4 at a private nursing home
in Ilford.
Their supervision has been carried out as in previous years.
Suspension from Practice.—Two Midwives were suspended from
practice for varying periods during the year following attendance on 2 cases
rendering them liable to be a source of infection. Both Midwives were
employed by the Council.
The reasons for suspension from practice were as follows:—
(1) Attended notified case of Puerperal Pyrexia stated to be due to
sepsis and widespread erythema. The vaginal swab showed a pure growth
of haemolytic streptococci. A swab from the throat of the Midwife also
showed the presence of haemolytic streptococci.
(2) Attended notified case of Puerperal Pyrexia stated to be due to
post partum haemorrhage, osteomyelitis of pubis with abscess formation.
Swab from the throat of the Midwife showed the presence of haemolytic
streptococci.
In addition two Midwives from the Salvation Army were suspended
from duty for a short period as one of their Pupil Midwives developed
Tonsillitis, a swab from her throat showing the presence of haemolytic
streptococci.
Medical aid was sought in 12 instances where the infant was found to
have inflamed or discharging eyes. One of the cases was 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 case.
Council District Midwifery Service.—During the year 1,202 cases were
attended. In 718 cases the midwives were engaged to attend as midwives
and in 484 as maternity nurses. The cases resided in the following wards:
Barkingside 207; North Hainault 181; Cranbrook 65; Park 103; Seven Kings
121; South Hainault 148; Loxford 179; Clementswood 152; Goodmayes 46.
3,855 ante-natal visits were made during the year.
In October, 1946, the Council decided to purchase a car for the use of
the Deputy Superintendent of Midwives. This was delivered in April, 1947.
At the end of the year there were 12 District Midwives employed by the
Council in addition to the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent.
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.
55 patients were referred by Private Doctors to the Counoil's Consultant
Obstetrician at the Ante-Natal Clinic for a further opinion. 28 of these
women and 57 other patients who had engaged a Council Midwife (40 as a
Midwife and 45 as a Maternity Nurse) were for various reasons admitted to
the Council's Maternity Home or other Institutions for confinement. 75
were admitted to the Maternity Home, 1 to the Ilford Isolation Hospital,
1 to the City of London Hospital, 2 to Oldchurch County Hospital, Romford,
3 to Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, 1 to King George Hospital, Ilford,
1 to Queen Charlotte's Hospital and 1 to a Private Nursing Home.
In addition 1 patient was admitted to the Maternity Home for antenatal
treatment and subsequently confined at home.