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152
This does not include many others suffering from moderate disease,
or those complaining of pain from one or two carious teeth.
5. Anaemia. (64 Cases. Average Hb. 62 per cent. Of these 44 had been
confined in hospital, 20 at home.)
Only those women in whom the Hb percentage was under 70 are
considered. Two were having treatment at their first attendance. Low
figures were 25, 34, 38, 45, 54, 55 per cent. Four patients were referred
to hospital for transfusion. There was a history of A .P .H., P .P .H., or
both in 9 cases. The anaemia was commonly associated with subinvolution
.
6. Failure of Lactation. (26 Cases, of whom 18 had been confined in
hospital, 8 at home. There were 6 cases of breast abscess.)
Many of the women were referred to this clinic in association with
failure of their babies to thrive at the breast. Only cases are included
where failure was complete in the early weeks, and where it was not
attributable to illness in the baby.
7. Various.
Under this heading must be mentioned a large number who had the
appearance of being poorly nourished, who had a moderate degree of
anaemia (Hb 70-80 per cent.), and who were easily exhausted by their
domestic labours. In all such cases enquiries were called for from the
health visitors, and where the family income was too small or was
unreliable an endeavour was made to procure extra nourishment. Some
were still in the first month after delivery and had clearly not recovered
their usual health and poise. 40* were got to Convalescent Homes, with
great benefit in practically every case. Others were suffering from
muscular weakness and needed tuition in remedial exercises. Constipation
and the habit of using too strong aperients often needs correction.
Some of the more specific ailments were as follows:—
Mitral disease, 8; Aortic and Mitral disease, 1; Renal disease, 2;
Phthisis, 1; Pyuria persisting from pregnancy, 3; extreme laxity of
abdominal and pelvic muscles, 3; Haemorrhoids severe, 3; Varicose
veins severe, 6; Hernia, requiring treatment, 2; Salpingitis, x;
Gonorrhoea, 1; Bartholin's cyst, 1; Sacro-iliac pain persisting six
months after forceps delivery, 1.
*In the case of 22 women the expense was defrayed out of a small fund
composed of charitable contributions.