Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950S

Press, London, 1980).
    Franklyn, Julian, The Cockney (Andre Deutsch, 1953).
    Franklyn, Julian, Dictionary of Rhyming Slang (Andre Deutsch,
1961).
    Harris, Charles, Three Ha’Pence to the Angel (Phoenix House,
London, 1950).
    Jones, Jack, Rhyming Cockney Slang (Abson Books, London, 1971).
    Lewey, F., Cockney Campaign (Heffer, 1944).
    Matthews, Professor William, Cockney Past and Present (Routledge,
London, 1940).
    O’London, Jack (Wilfred Whitten), London Stories (TC & EC
Jack Ltd, Bristol, 1948).
    Quennell, Peter, ed., Mayhew’s London (Hamlyn, London, 1969).
    Robbins, G., Fleet Street Blitzkrieg Diary (Ernest Benn Ltd,
London, 1942).
    Upton, Clive and David Parry, The Dictionary of English Grammar:
Survey of English Dialects (Routledge, London, 1994).

GLOSSARY
     
    Glossary by Terri Coates MSc, RN, RM, ADM, Dip Ed
     
    albumenuria : Now called proteinuria. Testing of urine for the presence of protein is still a part of normal antenatal care. Urine is no longer boiled to diagnose the presence of protein in urine. The midwife now dips a strip of reactive paper into a sample of urine. The resulting colour of the strip gives an indication of the amount of protein present in the urine. amniotic fluid : The fluid that surrounds and protects the baby in the womb. Amniotic fluid is also known as the “waters”. antenatal : Before birth. anterior presentation : The back of the baby’s head in labour will normally be in the front or anterior part of the mother’s pelvis. This anterior presentation is the most favourable for the baby to adopt for a normal delivery. asphyxia : Insufficient oxygen supply to the vital organs, particularly the brain, sometimes resulting in death or permanent damage.
     
     
     
    bd : Medical shorthand used as an instruction on prescriptions to mean twice a day. BP : Medical shorthand for blood pressure. breech : A baby that is positioned bottom down rather than the usual head down. breech delivery : The description of the breech delivery has changed little over the decades though breech delivery at home is now a very unusual occurrence. A breech delivery is slower than a head-first delivery as the baby’s body negotiates the pelvis first and the widest diameter, the head, is delivered last. When the baby’s head enters the pelvis it is maintained in a flexed position by the weight of its own body hanging down outside the mother’s body. This ensures that the head is delivered slowly and safely.
     
    Caesarean section : An operation to deliver a baby through an incision in the mother’s abdomen. cervix : The neck of the womb. chancre : The initial lesion of a syphilis infection. chloral hydrate : A mild sedative and analgesic used in the early stages of labour. The drug was given as a drink with either water and glucose or fruit juice. Chloral hydrate is an irritant to the stomach which often causes vomiting so is no longer used. colostrum : The first breast milk. Mature breast milk is produced from the third or fourth day after the birth of the baby. contraction : The intermittent tightening of the muscles of the uterus (womb), which are painful during labour. cord : The umbilical cord attaches the baby to the placenta before birth. crown : The crown refers to the top of the baby’s head, usually the first part of the baby’s head to emerge. When it emerges it is said to “crown”. cystitis : Inflammation or infection of the bladder.
     
     
    D and C : Dilatation and curettage (D and C) is an operation to remove any pieces of placenta or membrane from the uterus after delivery to prevent further bleeding or infection. delivery techniques : Placing the heel of the hand behind the anus is no longer undertaken as part of delivery. It is now considered to be unnecessary and invasive.
     
     
    eclampsia : A rare and severe consequence of pre-eclampsia which is characterised by convulsions. Eclampsia is an infrequent cause of death of a mother and unborn baby. The old term used for eclampsia was toxaemia. enema : A preparation used to empty the lower bowel. It used to be given to all women at the start of labour, administered in the belief that it would stimulate contractions and make space for the baby to descend. Research has shown that an enema is not a labour stimulant and is no longer used.
     
    episiotomy : A cut made to enlarge the opening of the vagina during delivery.
     
    ergometrine : An oxytocic drug which makes the muscle of the uterus contract after delivery. The oxytocic