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142
Maternal Mortality.
There were three maternal deaths of Leyton residents during
the year. Two, which resulted from infection following abortion,
have been discussed above under the heading Puerperal Pyrexia.
The details of the third death were as follows:—
Multipara, age 26.—Home circumstances comfortable—under
hospital supervision during pregnancy—frequent nose bleeding—
toxaemic symptoms developed between 30-34 weeks—oedema
present at 32 weeks—admitted at 34 weeks with albuminuria,
B.P. 186/78—did not improve much despite treatment—developed
hydramnios-—membranes ruptured artifically at 37 weeks—three
hours later patient delivered of normal infant—second foetus in
uterus—placenta of first foetus did not separate—no further
pains—patient allowed to rest and fluids and glucose given by
mouth—seven hours after birth of first child few pains began—
considerable loss with each pain—two hours later second bag of
membranes ruptured artifically as patient becoming blanched—
second baby delivered under ansethesia as a breech, stillborn—
patient somehat shocked—no haemorrhage, but inertia returned—
given saline per rectum and later intravenously—blood transfusion
arranged but patient died before it could be given—the placentae
were not delivered. Cause of death—Shock and haemorrhage :
Inertia ; Toxaemia.
MIDWIVES' ACTS, 1902-1936.
Until just over 100 years ago the practice of midwifery was
almost entirely in the hands of women, and at as late a date as the
beginning of the present century anyone who chose to do so could
act as a midwife.
The Midwives' Act, 1902—under whose provisions the Central
Midwives' Board was constituted—was the first statute designed to
secure better training and regulate the practice of midwives ; but
the legal status granted by that Act was merely a license to monthly
nurses to assume a new designation, as the Act allowed bona fide
midwives (i.e., unqualified women who had been practising midwifery)
to continue in practice. The Midwives' Act, 1918, made
certain alterations in the Act of 1902; and the Act of 1926 made
it an offence for an unqualified person to attend a woman in childbirth
otherwise than under the direction and personal supervision
of a doctor—unless in a sudden and urgent necessity.