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64
Breast Massage.
Twenty-four nursing mothers were referred to the nurses of the Metropolitan
Nursing Association for breast massage in order to stimulate the secretion of
breast milk.
In five case, lactation was completely restored and only in one of these, did
one bottle feed each day have to be substituted for a breast feed.
In six cases breast secretion was re-established, but small bottle feeds had to
be given to the baby in addition to the breast.
In five cases the function was re-established for a short time only to be lost
again.
In seven cases the massage was quite unsuccessful.
In one case no further information could be obtained.
Diarrhoea.
During the year an effort was made to classify the cases of diarrhoea occurring
in children attending at 10, John Street.
The classification used was as follows:—
(i.) Simple diarrhoea.
(ii.) Summer diarrhoea.
(a) Ordinary summer diarrhoea; some disturbance of the heat regulating
mechanism together with digestive disturbance of greater or less
severity.
(b) Ileocolitis with blood and mucus in the stools (Dr. H. Charles
Cameron's Group B comprising cases of acute catarrhal follicular or
ulcerative colitis).
(iii.) Heatstroke in which cerebro-spinal symptoms are the most
prominent.
The attacks of children suffering from diarrhoea were so analysed; 33 suffered
from simple diarrhoea, 6 from ordinary summer diarrhoea, 4 children had more
than one attack, viz:—
P.M May Simple d. August Simple d November Simple d
M.P May Simple d. September Simple d.
D.W August Simple d. September Summer d.
V.S July Simple d. September Simple d.
Stillbirths.
During 1923 there were 23 stillbirths in the district. Difficult labour was
responsible for thirteen; of these three were due to contracted pelvis and four to
abnormal presentation; in the remaining six the enquiry did not elicit the
determining factor. Prematurity was the most likely cause of two, placenta
praevia, excessive vomiting, venereal disease and kidney disease each of one; in
the remaining four no information was available.
Eight of the 23 stillbirths occurred in the practice of private doctors, one in
that of midwives and nine in the extern practice of a hospital; five were born in
an institution.