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69
In 29 of the 1,030 confinements the patient had been previously admitted
for varying periods of observation, being subsequently re-admitted for the
confinement.
Of the 1,030 confinements there were:—
(a) 481 cases of first confinement.
(b) 649 cases having their second or subsequent confinement.
89 cases (or 8.6 per cent.) were delivered by means of forceps, 32
following surgical induction; 6 of the infants were stillborn and 2 infants
died aged 5 minutes and 12 hours.
In addition, labour was surgically induced in 122 other cases; 5 of the
infants were stillborn and 2 died aged 5 minutes and 15 hours.
182 of the 1,016 live infants born in this Block were weaned prior to
their discharge from the Hospital.
32 infants (including 1 set of twins) born to patients in the Ward
Blocks were retained in the Hospital for varying periods, an average of 24.7
days each, following discharge of their mothers, either due to prematurity
or feeding difficulties. 14 of these infants weighed 5½ lbs. or less at birth.
There were 14 deaths of infants under one year of age born in the
Ward Blocks.
The mothers of five of these infants had not been booked for admission
to the Hospital, but were admitted as emergency cases for various reasons.
The mothers of 5 of the 29 stillborn infants were admitted as emergency
cases.
30 patients were notified as suffering from Puerperal Pyrexia, 15 being
removed to the Ilford Isolation Hospital.
In addition, 1 infant, who was removed to the Isolation Hospital, was
notified as suffering from Ophthalmia Neonatorum, the condition of the eyes
clearing satisfactorily, and 1 infant, who was also removed to the Isolation
Hospital, was notified as suffering from Pemphigus Neonatorum.
59 other patients were removed to the Isolation Hospital for various
reasons, including 8 patients from Wilnett Lodge.
Special visits were made by the Consulting Obstetrician, his Deputy,
or other Consultants to 26 cases in the Ward Blocks as follows: —
To perform Caesarean Section operations 11
For consultations 15
There were no deaths of mothers admitted to the Ward Blocks.
Training of Pupil Midwives.—As mentioned in the Report for 1944,
the Hospital is approved by the Central Midwives Board as a Part I
Training School for not less than ten pupil midwives in training at one time.
37 pupil midwives commenced their training during 1948. 15 of these
and 17 of the 41 who commenced in 1947 passed Part I examination in
1948.
Gas and Air Analgesia.—Analgesia was administered to 642 patients
during the year.