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Hospital and 3 were employed in Maternity Homes. The inspector of midwives made 224 visits
during the year. It was not found necessary to report any breach of the rules to the Local
Supervising Authority or to the Central Midwives Board. The annual returns received from
midwives were as follows:—
Medical Aid records 148
Notice of liability to be a source of infection 24
Laying out of the dead records 5
Notice of death of mother or child—
children 6
mothers nil
Still-birth records 6
Notice re artificial feeding 5
The records show that 766 cases were attended by midwives during 1938. In 513 cases
the midwife attended alone and in the remaining 253 both doctor and midwife were in attendance.
The midwives summoned medical aid in 29 per cent, of the cases attended by them. The
chief causes for requesting medical help were:—
Mother.
Ante-natal debility, malaise, etc. 3
Ante-partum haemorrhage 12
Placenta praevia 3
Albuminuria 1
Varicose veins, haemorrhoids, etc. 6
Premature labour 2
Malpresentations 10
Prolonged or difficult labour 24
Retained placenta 4
Post-partum haemorrhage 3
Pyrexia 5
Ruptured perineum 48
Child.
Discharge from eyes 13
Feebleness, asphyxia, etc 21
The total fees paid to medical practitioners in respect of emergency cases in accordance
with Section XIV of the Midwives Act, 1918, amounted to £155 18s. Od. in respect of 119
claims.
The arrangements made in 1937 whereby midwives practising in the Borough were
enabled to attend post-certificate lectures and demonstrations organised by the London and
Middlesex County Councils continued during 1938.
Municipal Domiciliary Midwifery Service.