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
Walthamstow 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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The table below shows the number of visits carried out by the District Midwives and Home Nurse/Midwives:—
| Ante-Natal Examinations | Deliveries | Lying-in Visits | Total Visits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients Homes | Midwife's House | Clinic | Mid. | Mat. | |||
| District Midwives | 1,319 | 532 | 1,214 | 170 | 113 | 3,208 | 6,556 |
| Home Nurse/ Midwives | 271 | — | 1,098 | 22 | 27 | 464 | 1,882 |
| Totals | 1,590 | 532 | 2,312 | 192 | 140 | 3,672 | 8,438 |
One midwife in private practice undertook 21 cases as
maternity nurse.
Gas and Air analgesia- A total of 288 patients on the District
received gas and air analgesia, representing a percentage of 86.7 of
district confinements.
Emergency Unit.— This Unit, stationed at Thorpe Coombe
Maternity Hospital, was called out to 5 Walthamstow cases during
1955.
Maternity Outfits.- Outfits are issued for all home confinements.
Training of Pupil Midwives.— Thorpe Coombe Maternity
Hospital is a training school for both Parts I and II, the latter in
association with home confinements on the "district." A total of
25 pupils successfully underwent Part II training during 1955.
It is very necessary to assist in the district training of Pupil
Midwives from Thorpe Coombe because during this training they
work with the home nurses at the District Nurses' Home and after
completing their midwifery training, many take up temporary home
nursing and some proceed to train as Queen's Nurses and to remain
on the staff at the District Nurses' Home as Queen's Nurses.
Co-operation with General Practitioners.— An enquiry made
during the year revealed that there is an exchange of detailed case
information, that there are personal discussions between doctors