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In 16 of these cases the Midwife was engaged as a Maternity Nurse only.
Four patients who had engaged Midwives to attend them (three as Midwives
and one as Maternity Nurse) died during the year:—
(1) Died two hours after delivery from obstetric shock due to post
partum haemorrhage from retained placenta. The cause of death was
certified by the Coroner, following a post mortem examination and
inquest, as due to natural causes.
(2) Admitted to Oldchurch County Hospital. Romford, owing to
eclampsia, confined 4 days later and died 19 hours after delivery, due
to cerebral haemorrhage, due to toxaemia of pregnancy. Death was
certified by the Coroner after a post mortem examination.
(3) Confined at own home, admitted to the Council's Maternity
Home four hours after delivery and died three hours 35 minutes later,
due to Bhock. due to post partum haemorrhage, due to retained placenta.
(4) Confined at own home and admitted to Council's Maternity
Home 2 hours after delivery and died 5 hours 10 minutes later, due
to obstetrio shock due to retained placenta.
Salvation Army Midwifery Service.—137 cases were attended by the
Salvation Army midwives during the year; 109 as a midwife and 28 as a
maternity nurse.
Home and Domestic Helps.—Arising from Circular 110/46 of the
Ministry of Health dated 6th June, 1946, the Council decided in July to
appoint a full time Home and Domestic Help Organiser. Approval was
given by the Ministry of Health to the appointment on a temporary basis
for a period of 3 months, when the Ministry wished to review the position
in the light of the progress made in the organisation of the scheme.
The Ministry subsequently decided that the matter should be kept
under review by the Council, so that the appointment could be terminated
at the end of a period of 12 months if the number of Home and Domestic
Helps who had been employed or were likely to be employed did not appear
to justify its continuance.
The Organiser appointed commenced duties on 28th October, 1946, but
terminated her employment on 30th November, 1946. Her successor
commenced on 9th December, 1946, and the following is a summary of the
cases dealt with since the inception of the scheme until 31st December, 1946:—
(а) Number of applications received for assistance 82
(b) Number for whom Home or Domestic Helps were provided 24
(c) Number of cases which on investigation did not require
assistance 31
(d) Number of cases where Home Help is required in future months 21
(e) Enquiries incomplete 6
At the end of the year, 15 Home and Domestic Helps were employed.
In a circular dated 14th December, 1944, the Ministry of Health
mentioned that provision could be made for help in the home where there
were persons sick or infirm, whether through old age or otherwise, and that
the type of cases to which, in the Ministry's view, attention should be
given were as follows:—
(а) Where the housewife falls sick or must have an operation.
(b) Where the wife is suddenly called away to see her husband in
hospital and arrangements have to be made to look after the
children.
(c) With elderly people who are infirm, or one of whom suddenly
falls ill.
(d) Where several members are ill at the same time, e.g., during an
influenza epidemic.