Abstract

The article on ‘Drugs in Normal Labour’ (September 15, p. 76) wrongly stated that midwives may not give more than 100 mg pethidine twice in any period of four hours. This is in fact a strictly local rule in one area; the Central Midwives Board’s rule is that ‘a practising midwife must not on her own responsibility use any drug, including an analgesic, unless in the course of her training, whether before or after enrolment, she has been thoroughly instructed in its use and is familiar with its dosage and methods of administration or application’ (Midwives Rules 1955 to 1962, Rule E. 5 (b)). However, most midwives would call medical aid if a patient has not responded satisfactorily to two 100 mg doses of pethidine or the equivalent.