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The casualty calls amounted to 50 per cent, of the total calls during the year.
For several years it has been the practice to take to their homes in the neighbouring
districts, without charge, persons not residing in Twickenham who have met with accidents in a
public place or street in the Borough. In addition, a formal arrangement had been made with
the Teddington Urban District Council for the reciprocal use of the ambulances on any occasion
on which the ambulance of either district might not be available.
In the case of one district, without a municipal ambulance service, although calls to
casualties in that district were being attended to by the Twickenham ambulance, the Authority
in question were not prepared to enter into an agreement in the matter. This incident was
apparently one of the causes of the issue of circular 1356 of the Ministry of Health, in which
the Minister desired to be assured that satisfactory arrangements were made between adjoining
districts for the reciprocal use of ambulances.
The matter has now been placed on a satisfactory footing, and agreements have now
been entered into with the Borough of Richmond and the Urban Districts of Teddington and
Feltham.
Laboratory Facilities.
The bacteriological examination of specimens was carried out as usual by the Virol
Pathological Research Laboratories in London. The number of specimens sent for examination
during the year was as follows :—
For Diphtheria, 277; for Tuberculosis, 104; Other, 8.
MATERNITY.
The total number of births which occurred in the Borough during the year was 594, of
which 10 were still births. 98.8 per cent, of the births being notified. Of the 594 births which
occurred, 415 were notified by midwives and 172 by parents or doctors. Midwives were present
at 70.6 per cent, of the births, but it is possible that a medical practitioner was also present in some
of the cases notified by midwives.
The scheme for promoting Maternity and Child Welfare as far as it had been developed
in the Borough was set out in full in my report for the year 1932, and it is only necessary therefore
to give particulars of the services rendered under the various headings during 1933.
Care of the expectant mother.
The Ante-Natal Clinic has been held every fortnight throughout the year. The total
attendances of expectant mothers was 450, of which 133 were first attendances. Calculated on
the births which occurred in Twickenham during the year, 22.4 per cent, of the total number of
expectant mothers attended at the Ante-Natal Clinic, but as many of the women confined in
Twickenham came to nursing homes here for their confinement only, and on the other hand
several Twickenham mothers were confined at the West Middlesex Hospital at Isleworth, it is
impossible from these figures to draw any accurate conclusion as to the total number of expectant
mothers who obtained Ante-Natal care or the degree of Ante-Natal supervision received.
Under the scheme for dental treatment, 40 expectant or nursing mothers received dental
treatment, principally extractions of carious teeth, and 7 were supplied with sets of artificial
teeth.
In accordance with requests received from the Public Assistance Authority, enquiries
were made into the home conditions of a considerable number of women who had applied for
admission to the Maternity block at the West Middlesex Hospital for their confinements, and
reports furnished to the Public Assistance Committee.
Care of the mothers during confinement.
The Corporation have not established a Maternity home, nor have any arrangements
been made with any institution for the reception of complicated or difficult cases.
If such institutional treatment is required, it is necessary for the medical practitioner in
charge of the case to make such arrangements as he can for the admission of the patient to a
hospital.
The arrangements'under which medical practitioners can obtain the services of a consultant
in complicated cases is still in force, but was not utilised during 1933.