Segment 1 Intertitle: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd presents Relief of Pain in Childbirth. Made in collaboration with the staff of Guy s Hospital. A woman is seen in a hospital room in the early stages of childbirth. A male narrator comments on the four most important issues in the relief of pain in childbirth. Firstly, good uterine action; this is illustrated graphically showing the frequency of contractions before and then after a general anaesthetic. A newborn baby with its mother is seen. The narrator comments that pain relief should not be harmful to either the mother or baby. The first mother is shown in bed with her baby. Finally preferred methods of analgesia are discussed. The application of nitrous-oxide or trichloroethylene anaesthesia is shown using a graphical illustration of a patient. Oral, rectal, parenteral and inhalational means of anaesthesia are indicated. In Britain, the inhalation method is preferred and the action of the agent is shown graphically as it travels in the patient and then to the baby. The gas cylinders are shown and the characteristics of nitrous-oxide are discussed. A canister is weighed. A diagram illustrates the different ways of mixing the nitrous-oxide; with and without air and or oxygen or all three. The machinery which a qualified mid-wife can use is shown. The composition of air is shown as well as the maximum desirable nitrous-oxide for analgesia, which is 50%, without causing anoxia. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:05:39:24 Length: 00:05:39:24
Segment 2 The Minutes machine is shown. It controls the flow of gas. The release of the gas is shown graphically. The pregnant woman at the beginning of the film is shown using gas and air in labour; a mask has been attached by a hose to the machine. Further apparatus is shown which is suitable for midwives to use. In contrast, an alternative way of providing better analgesic coverage would be to control respiration by attaching a breathing bag so that the bag fills with nitrous-oxide. This requires supervision. A trained anaesthetist has more options; the characteristics of trichloroethylene (its trade name is Trilene) is described. It is coloured blue to distinguish it from chloroform and it has a strong analgesic quality. As it is very potent, the undesirability of anaesthesia as opposed to analgesia is discussed and graphically illustrated. A newborn baby is very blue as a consequence of asphyxia neonatorum a nurse and doctor attend to the baby which is next shown breathing and looking healthy. Time start: 00:05:39:24 Time end: 00:10:22:00 Length: 00:04:43:24
Segment 3 The undesirability of using a closed-circuit method of anaesthesia is discussed; it is unsafe immediately after the use of trichloroethylene. More apparatus is shown. The Freedman apparatus, which is used with Trilene, is demonstrated. Other equipment is illustrated. The exact working of the machine is similar to a carburettor on a motorbike. How the machines mix Trilene and air is described. A number of clinical cases are shown; the patients receive antenatal checks and in each case, a different analgesia is recommended. A nurse is shown demonstrating the gas and air method to a pregnant woman. The benefits of antenatal education are emphasised the proper use of the mask and understanding how to control pain. How the patient s experience is different in the first and second stages of labour are described briefly. Finally the original patient is seen tucked up in bed with her baby. ICI. Time start: 00:10:22:00 Time end: 00:17:06:13 Length: 00:06:44:13