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Number of after results of confinement requiring treatment 3
„ „ births 116
„ „ children born with any abnormality 3
„ „ deaths 9
(a) Premature 5
(b) Still-births 4
As the knowledge of the Municipal Maternity Ward grows, I
am convinced that every year will show a larger number of women
desiring to be confined in maternity hospitals, with all the facilities
for up-to-date and safe obstetrics, with medical attendance and
nurses constantly at their disposal. There can be no doubt as to
the desirability of women entering an institution for confinement
when the home surroundings are not satisfactory. It can easily be
understood the difficulties which doctors and the most competent
of midwives have to face in these days of housing shortage. How can
a patient be confined in one room, where sleeping, cooking and other
domestic duties are performed, without risk to the patient ?
Whenever these conditions are found I would urge all doctors
and midwives to recommend the case to make application to the
Local Authority for a bed in the Municipal Maternity Ward.
Puerperal Sepsis.
In my opinion the diminution of maternal mortality, so much
discussed and sought for, can only be secured by the combined
efforts of the general public, the medical profession and midwives.
Ante-natal examinations with the treatment of defects found
should do away with much of the chronic ill-health found in mothers,
and the evil effects of obstructed labour on children resulting
sometimes in paralysis. Only by such examinations can conditions
predisposing to sepsis, abnormal presentations, contracted pelvis, or
complications of the patient, such as kidney and heart disease, be
discovered and remedied. The most pressing need is to get the
public to appreciate the value of ante-natal examinations.
The medical examination of every pregnant woman and the
early recognition of abnormal cases in labour should reduce puerperal
sepsis to a minimum.
Further, the less manual or instrumental interference there is
during labour, the less likely is septic trouble to follow it.
The early diagnosis of puerperal sepsis is essential to ensure
that the patient is placed under the most favourable conditions for
treatment, and in the majority of cases this can only be carried out
in a hospital. Even where a doubt exists as to the diagnosis, it
would be better to send such cases for institutional treatment.
Infant Welfare Centres.
The Return of Work of the Municipal and Voluntary Infant
Welfare Centres, which appears on page 45, shows that the number
of attendances and visits is well maintained.