View report page

Certain foods were supplied to expectant mothers for
whom special treatment was ordered. These foods were supplied
free in necessitous cases. Vitamin preparations as supplied
by the Ministry of Food to expectant mothers continued to be
distributed for each ante-natal clinic.
No request for the services of a consultant was made
during the year.
The scheme whereby expectant mothers were given facilities
for chest X-ray continued to prove satisfactory. The total
number who were X-rayed was 607 and of these 25 were found to
be in need of further observation and/or treatment. Until
April 1947 the fee payable by the Council to the local hospitals
was 10s. 6d. for each mother. The charge was then raised to
£1.1.0. With effect from 14th July 1947, the arrangements with
the local hospitals were discontinued and expectant mothers
were sent to the Hounslow Chest Clinic. The charge remained
£1.1.0 per patient.
PARE OF MOTHERS DURING CONFINEMENT.
The Corporation have not established a maternity home and
have no formal agreement with any hospital for the reception of
difficult or complicated cases. These are referred to the West
Middlesex County Hospital.
HOME HELP SERVICE.
At the end of the year there were eight full-time and nine
part-time Home Helps on the staff. In addition there were
twelve temporary Homo Helps. The number of Home Helps is
steadily increasing as the service expands.
Maternity Domestic Total
No, of applications 266 138 404
received.
GAS AND AIR ANALGESIA
All the Corporation Municipal Midwives are qualified to
administer Gas and Air Analgesia. Analgesia was administered
to 238 patients (as compared with 87 in 1946) during the year.
The three midwives who have cars carry the apparatus with them.
Two other machines are kept at the Hollies Ambulance Depot for
use by the remaining midwives,
PUERPERAL PYREXIA.
Thirteen cases of Puerperal Pyrexia occurred during the
year and of these four only were domiciliary confinements one
of which was admitted to West Middlesex County Hospital, the
others being treated at home. The remaining nine cases were
treated in the Institutions where they occurred. All patients
recovered.
POST NATAL CARE.
Post-natal care is carried out at the ante-natal clinics
and mothers are urged to attend. The numbers are as follows:-
1947 - 374 1943 - 263
1946 - 206 1942 - 255
1945 - 172 1941 - 297
1944 - 180 1940 - 71
- 13 -