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 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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82
RESEARCH
The Department co-operated with Dr. H. J. B. Atkins of
Guy's Hospital in regard to a "study in the Transmission of
Maternal Antibodies."
MIDWIFERY
(Section 23)
There were 31 practising midwives in the Borough at the end
of 1957, including those at Thorpe Coombe Maternity Hospital.
Medical supervision was carried out by the Medical Staff and
non-medical supervision by the Superintendent of the Nurses'
Training Home.
The following table shows the work done by Midwives during 1957 and includes those at Thorpe Coombe:—
| No. of confinements attended | 1,697 |
| „ Medical Aid Notices sent | 624 |
| „ Twin Births notified | 7 |
| Triplet „ „ | 1 |
| ,, Stillbirths notified | 38 |
| „ Notifications of Artificial Feeding | 10 |
| ,, „ Discharging Eyes | — |
| ,, Deaths notified | — |
Medical aid was summoned by midwives in domiciliary practice
and private nursing homes on 16 occasions, and the details are as
follows:—
For complications during pregnancy:—
Antepartum haemorrhage 1
For complications during labour:—
Ruptured perineum 4
Premature labour —
Rise in temperature —
Postpartum haemorrhage 1
Other conditions 6
Total 11
For complications in regard to the infant:—
Cyanosis 1
Prematurity 2
Other conditions 1
Total 4