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137
The causes of the 20 stillbirths in the Home during 1936 were
as follows :—
Anencephalic foetus 1
Ante-partum haemorrhage 2
Breech presentation 3
Congenital abnormality of foetus 1
Difficult labour 1
Failed forceps and internal version 1
Induction of labour for disproportion 1
Maternal toxaemia 1
Placenta praevia 2
Prematurit 3
Pressure on cord 1
Unknown 3
6 of these stillbirths occurred in the Surgical Block.
The average stillbirth rate for the Ward Blocks of the
Maternity Home for the past five years was 3.00 per cent.,
compared with 3.14 per cent. for births elsewhere in the Ilford
district. The rate for 1936 for the Surgical Block was 27.3 per
cent.
One case was notified as suffering from puerperal fever, and
27 cases as puerperal pyrexia, twelve being removed to the Isolation
Hospital.
The causes of the pyrexia were due to pyelitis (9 cases),
mastitis (6), serum re-action (2), pleurisy with effusion (1),
pleurisy (1), T.B. in sputum (1), bilateral thrombosis (1),
phlegmasia alba dolens (1), parametritis (1), labial herpes (1),
difficult labour (1), miscarriage (1), and incomplete abortion (1).
Two cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were notified from the
Home. Both cases were due to conjunctivitis.
The Consulting Obstetrician or his Deputy made fortnightly
visits to the Home until the 10th March, and as from that date
visits were made each week. Dr. F. T. Evans was appointed as
Consultant Anaesthetist in December, 1936.