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112
MATERNAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY.
(Report by Dr. Menzies.)
Eight oases of puerperal fever and 12 cases of puerperal pyrexia
were notified during the year. An endeavour was made in each
case to obtain particulars regarding the cause of the rise of tern,
perature.
Puerperal Fever.
Of tlie eight cases notified as puerperal fever, three followed
early abortions in married women. One ended fatally. This was a
two months abortion in a married woman (aged 22), who had had her
first child in 1933 and her second in 1934. Home circumstances
poor. Her temperature rose to 103 degs. on the day following the
abortion. She was admitted to hospital four days after the abortion,
in a grave condition,with an offensive uterine discharge, and in spite
of treatment she died ten days later. Post-mortem examination
showed evidence of pleurisy, peritonitis and endometritis with pus
in the right Fallopian tube and ovary. There was no sign of injury
and it was impossible to obtain a history from the relatives. Of the
two non-fatal cases associated with abortion, in one the doctor who
was called found the patient with abdominal tenderness and
temperature 103 degs. and sent her into hospital immediately as a
threatened abortion. She was a multipara (4), and recovered after
two weeks in hospital. The second case occurred in a woman of
33 who had two living children—home circumstances good. In
spite of the fact that she was sent into hospital on the day following
the abortion, she required two months in hospital before she was
fit to be discharged.
Of the five notified cases following full time deliveries one ended
fatally.
The available information in these five cases is as follows :—-
1. Multipara (3), age 28. Septic teeth—abscesses in gums .
during puerperium. Appearance suggested anaemia—normal labour
—attended by midwife. Temperature rose on 6th day after confinement—seen
by obstetric consultant—diagnosis, mild intra-uterine
infection—treated at home;—temperature returned to normal during
third week of puerperium,