Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Presentation. | No. of cases. |
---|---|
Face or brow | 5 |
Hand or arm | 3 |
Funis | 9 |
Cord | 4 |
Placenta prævia | 3 |
Prolapse of umbilicus | 1 |
Born in membrane | 1 |
Born before arrival of midwife and presentation not known | 57 |
No statement | 65 |
Total | 740 |
The following table shows, as regards still-births occurring at full term or of 8 months gestation, the presentations, etc., and whether the infants were stated to be macerated or not.
Presentation, etc. | Full term. | 8 months gestation. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Not macerated. | Macerated. | Not macerated. | Macerated. | |
Vertex | 93 | 87 | 25 | 36 |
Complicated vertex | 14 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
Breech | 46 | 7 | 10 | 7 |
Complicated breech | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Footling | 8 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Transverse | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Hand or arm | 2 | - | - | - |
Funis | 7 | 1 | - | - |
Cord | 4 | - | - | - |
Placenta prævia | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Twin birth | - | 4 | - | - |
Born before arrival (all presentations) | 13* | 6 | — | 8 |
Deformed child | 1 | 3 | — | 3 |
Delivered by forceps | — | 1 | — | - |
No statement as to presentation | 15† | 10 | 3† | 3 |
209 | 129 | 47 | 69 |
From the above table and the footnote(*) it appears that of the 256 not macerated infants, 68, or
26 per cent., presented by breech, whereas of the 198 macerated, only 16 or 8 per cent., were breech cases.
In 57 cases of still-birth some additional information was supplied. Thus—
History of injury to, or illness of mother 7
Delayed labour 4
Jaundiced infant 1
Excessive liquor amnii 1
Abnormally large child 1
Hydrocephalic child 2
White asphyxia 1
Cord round neck 4
Ante-partum hæmorrhage in mother 1
Triplets (one still-born) 1
Twins (one still-born) 20
Twins (both still-born in 5 instances) 10
Deformed child 3
History of previous still-births 1
57
Death of Mother or Child.—The Rules of the Central Midwives Board provide that when the death
of the mother or child occurs before the arrival of a medical practitioner, a midwife must give notice
to the local supervising authority. 74 of these notices were received, in 9 instances the mother died,
and in 65 instances the child died before the arrival of a medical man.
Inquests.—Inquests are held in such cases as the above, and also frequently in cases where a
medical practitioner, though present before death occurs, is not in attendance during the greater part
of the illness. By the courtesy of the London coroners, notice of inquests is given in cases where a
* Of the 13 full term not macerated infants born before midwife's arrival where the presentation was given,
3 were vertex, 8 breech and 2 footling,-
† Of the 18 not macerated infants of full term or 8 months gestation where the presentation was not stated,
14 were born before the midwife arrived.