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35
Ante-Natal (V.D.) Clinic.
This special treatment clinic was established in connection with
the Ante-Natal Out Patient Department at the Borough Maternity
Hospital late in 1921. The Clinic is fully equipped with the necessary
requisites for diagnosis and treatment, and is under the
direction and supervision of a Specialist Consultant (Mr. H. Corsi,
F.R.C.S.). The work carried out during 1933 is summarised in
the table on page 33.
Mr. Corsi reports as follows:—
Of 763 cases examined in the ante-natal clinic 6 were found
to be syphilitic. One was a case treated in the clinic some years
ago and further treatment was not called for. A second had a very
bad history of still-births and infant deaths, but she has always
refused treatment and did so again. This leaves four cases treated.
Two of the babies have been born at the time of writing and have
been found healthy with negative blood Wassermann ; one has been
born but has not been completely tested,* and the fourth remains
to be born.
The clinic has now been in existence twelve years and just
over a hundred cases have been treated. Only two definitely
syphilitic infants have been born. It is probable that later in life
some others may develop interstitial keratitis or other congenital
syphilitic trouble, but the number of these will have been greatly
diminished by the treatment which the mothers have received.
With the exception of the one case who was expected to refuse
treatment, no difficulties arose in 1933, and a pleasant atmosphere
was maintained throughout the year.
Maternal Mortality.
During 1933 there were 5 deaths of women from diseases or
accidents of child-birth which is equivalent to a fatality rate of
2.21 per 1,000 births, as compared with 4 deaths and a fatality
rate of 1.72 in 1932.
Four of these deaths occurred in hospital and one at home.

In addition there was one maternal death due to causes not
directly associated with the puerperium.
* At a later date Mr. Corsi writes:—" Since sending in my report a third
infant has been tested and blood found negative. The situation regarding
babies therefore is now—3 tested Wassermann found negative, 1 not yet
born,"