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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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 Visit. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients' Homes | Midwife's House | L.H.A. Clinics | G.P.s' Clinics | Mid. | Mat. | |||
| District Midwives | 771 | 470 | 746 | 632 | 73 | 122 | 2,211 | 5,025 |
| Home Nurse Midwives | 140 | — | 1,723 | 137 | 25 | 122 | 1,507 | 3,654 |
| Totals | 911 | 470 | 2,469 | 769 | 98 | 244 | 3,718 | 8,679 |
One midwife in private practice undertook 11 cases as
maternity nurse in a maternity home.
Trilene, and Gas and Air Analgesia.—A total of 304 patients
on the "district" received trilene or gas and air analgesia, representing
a percentage of 88.8 of district confinements.
Emergency Unit.—The Emergency Unit stationed at Thorpe
Coombe Maternity Hospital was not called out to a Walthamstow
case during 1957.
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." Twenty
seven pupil midwives passed the examination of the Central Mid'
wives1 Board (Part II) during the year.
CO-OPERATION WITH GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
The report for 1956 details the steps taken in regard to CO'
operation with general practitioners, and particularly in regard to
the help extended by health visitors, midwives and home nurses.
HEALTH VISITING
(Section 24)
The equivalent of whole-time health visitors at the end of the
year was 11.15, including the Superintendent. This was equal to
one whole-time district health visitor to 137 notified births.