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It is alleged that abortion is greatly on the increase, in
this and all districts, and I have reason to believe that it is,
but we have no statistics to prove it, or to guage the amount.
This evil would and does certainly seriously increase the rate
and favours the risks at the end of pregnancy!
There is, undoubtedly, an increasing number of neurotic
women, who will not produce children without anaesthetics
and instruments, who will not wait, and in these demands
they are often supported by their husbands.
It may be stated very definitely and positively that, for
some years, the special duties devolving upon Medical
Practitioners at these times have become more onerous and
anxious, due partly to the larger proportion of First-births.
First-births, especially in Wembley are numerous and are
always matters of anxiety due partly no doubt to the ill effects
of modern life—so full of excitement with so little rest and
peace.
With regard to the profession it must be remembered
that, in their own interests (to place it on very low ground),
general practitioners will and do work hard for a successful
issue. They have everything to lose—they know full well
that meddlesome Midwifery is bad " and really saves no
time, and that, as a rule, it is better to wait and see what
nature is capable of, and only intervene when fully justified.
It has been found that it is the emergent cases that cause
the higher death-rate, admitted without previous acquaintance,
no ante-natal care, often illegitimate, after various
experimentations with drugs, etc., in general bad condition,
that is why some doctors insist upon complete rest before
confinement and the modern hospitals all have Ante-Natal
beds.
You will sometimes hear that statistics prove that the
mortality rate is loiver in the practice of Midwives, but you
will not hear that all their serious emergent cases are transferred
immediately to medical practitioners and that then
their responsibility ceases. This of course has an important
>earing on our discussion, as the doctors sign the certificates
of death!!
1 he question of malnutrition, so often associated with
worry, poverty and depression, is an important factor. It is
well known now that when the poorer women of the district
are well fed, the Maternal Mortality rate is lower. You can
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