London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ilford 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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61
A Doctor was called in to 139 of the 517 cases in which a midwife
had been engaged.
Of the infants born there were 9 stillbirths. In 4 of these cases the
midwife was engaged as a maternity nurse only.
There were 9 deaths of infants during the first year of life where the
birth had been attended by a Domiciliary Midwife, 7 of these occurring
during the first two weeks of life.
Notices were received from the Domiciliary Midwives stating that
artificial feeding had been substituted in respect of 27 infants attended
by them during 1952.
During 1952 Ante-Natal Clinics conducted by the Domiciliary Midwives were held weekly at Valentines Mansion and fortnightly at Mayesbrook Clinic and Manford Way Clinic. The following is a summary of the attendances at these Clinics during the year:—
| Valentines Clinic | Mayesbrook Clinic | Manford Way Clinic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First attendances | 297 | 137 | 106 |
| Subsequent attendances | 1,073 | 386 | 366 |
| Totals | 1,370 | 523 | 472 |
| Number of sessions | 49 | 24 | 24 |
| Average attendance at each session | 28 | 22 | 19 |
In addition 2,284 home ante-natal visits were made during the year.
Salvation Army Midwifery Service.—44 cases were attended by the
Salvation Army Midwife during the year, 43 as a midwife and 1 as a
maternity nurse.
A Doctor was called in to 19 of the 43 cases in which a midwife had
been engaged.
Of the infants born there was one stillbirth.
Notifications were received from the Salvation Army Midwife that it
was proposed to substitute artificial feeding in respect of 6 infants.
Gas and Air Analgesia.—During 1952 gas and air analgesia was
administered in 394 cases, of which 351 were attended by the Domiciliary
Midwives (326 when acting as midwives and 25 when acting as maternity
nurses) and 43 were attended by the Salvation Army midwives (42 whilst
acting as midwives and 1 when acting as a maternity nurse.)
All the domiciliary midwives employed at the end of the year were
qualified to administer gas and air analgesia and the 1 Salvation Army
midwife was also so qualified.
Four sets of apparatus for the purpose of the administration of gas
and air analgesia are stored in the Ambulance Depot and the apparatus is
transported to the house of the patient on the request of the midwife. The
Salvation Army midwives also have two machines which are kept at their
Branch Home and taken or sent to the home of the patient when required.
The service is freely available to all having home confinements, provided
there are no medical contra-indications, and each expectant mother
on booking the midwife is supplied with a leaflet explaining the nature
and the availability of the service.