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80
The Home has 12 beds and from the fact that, during the first
ten months of opening, 121 cases were accommodated, I am confident
that, as the Home becomes better known, we shall experience no
difficulty in keeping all the beds constantly occupied.
In considering this Report it should be borne in mind that,
unlike some other Municipal Maternity Homes, any case that books
before labour is accepted, whether likely to be a normal case or
otherwise, the Home being fully equipped for any operative procedure
that may prove necessary.
Cases sent by Local Practitioners are accepted provided there
is accommodation, and in the opinion of the Medical Officer of
Health such cases are not likely to prove a source of infection—that
is, speaking generally, if they are either not in labour or only just
at the onset of labour.
Three such cases are included in this Report—1 case of Placenta
Prævia and 2 cases of severe Albuminuria.
One hundred and one of the patients entering the Maternity
Home were seen ante-natally by the Medical Officer, a large proportion
being seen more than once.
The following conditions called for special observation or
treatment:—
Contracted Pelvis8
Albuminuria 7
Heart Disease 2
Threatened Miscarriage 3
Pyelitis 6
Hydramnios 1
Ventrofixation 1
Others 5
Twenty-one patients, or 17 per cent., were not seen at all by
the Medical Officer prior to their labour, which must be considered
very unsatisfactory. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that
these patients, although chiefly a danger to themselves, are also
a definite menace to the other mothers in the Home.
Still Births.—Four babies were stillborn :—
(1) Died during forceps delivery, in the case of contracted
pelvis from Meningeal Haemorrhage.
(2) Anencephalic monster.
(3) Foetus dead on admission, before onset of labour.
(4) Macerated foetus, cause not discovered.