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The neo-natal death-rate of babies born in the Ward Blocks for the five
years 1943—1947 was 1.78 per cent. compared with 1.75 per cent. in the district
in general. The death-rate of babies who died before 14 days, born in the
Ward Blocks for the five years 1943—1947 was 1.61 per cent.
The infant mortality rate of children born in the Ward Blocks of the
Maternity Home for the five years 1943—1947 was 24.1 per 1,000 live births as
compared with 30.5 born in their own homes. The figure of 30.5 has been
arrived at after deduction of all deaths of infants born in the Maternity Home,
and is calculated on the total live births belonging to the district, excluding
those in the Maternity Home.
The causes of the 23 stillbirths in the Ward Blocks were as follows:Ante-partum
haemorrhage 4
Breech presentation 2
Cord tightly round neck 1
Difficult breech delivery 1
Exomphalus and bilateral talipes 1
Instrumental delivery 1
Malformations 1
No apparent cause. Foetal movements not felt for some days
prior to admission 2
Probably due to maternal toxaemia 1
Prolapsed cord due to shoulder presentation 1
Toxaemia 3
Unknown 5
The mothers of 11 of these infants were admitted as emergency cases.
Twenty patients were notified as suffering from Puerperal Pyrexia, twelve
being removed to the Isolation Hospital. The causes of the Pyrexia were due
to B. Coli pyelitis (2), B. Coli pyelitis and unhealed perineal laceration (1),
collapsed lung ; post-operative (1), engorgement of breasts (2), faecal incontinence
; third degree perineal tear following forceps delivery (1), infected
perineal laceration (1), mastitis (1), pyelitis, thrombo-phlebitis and pulmonary
embolism (1), retained membranes and shock following manual removal of
placenta (1), retained products and sapraemia (1), sapraemia (2), subinvolution
and sapraemia (1), thrombo-phlebitis of femoral vein and pulmonary embolism
(1), transient pyrexia associated with coryza and augmented by worry over
illness of infant (1), transient pyrexia due to congestion of breasts (1),
transient pyrexia of unknown origin (2).
In addition, four infants, all of whom were removed to the Isolation
'Hospital, were notified as suffering from Ophthalmia Neonatorum. All of the
cases were due to a staphylococcal conjunctivitis and the condition of the eyes
satisfactorily cleared.
Thirty-seven other patients were removed to the Isolation Hospital for the
following reasons, including three patients from Wilnett Lodge : acute rhinitis
icterus of infant (1), Bartholin's abscess (1), coryza and conjunctivitis of infant
(1), coryza and infected umbilicus of infant (1), encephalocele and meningocele
of infant (1), folliculitis (1), haemolytic streptococcal carrier (8), haemolytic
streptococcal carrier, sinusitis and rhinitis (1), herpes zoster (1), inanition,
spina bifida and hydrocephalus of infant (1), lactational mastitis (2), mastitis
and phlebitis of leg (1), pemphigoid skin lesion of infant (1), perineal sepsis (1),
puerperal erythema (1), pyelitis (1), pyelitis of pregnancy (1), secondary post
partum haemorrhage (1), septic dermatitis and coryza (1), staphylococcal abscess
of neck of infant (2), staphylococcal conjunctivitis of infant (1), staphylococcal
dermatitis of infant (5), subinvolution and endometritis (1), transient pyrexia
probably reactionary following delivery (1).
Special visits were made by the Consulting Obstetrician, his Deputy or
other Consultants to 49 cases in the Ward Blocks as follows :—
To perform Caesarean Section operations 20
To perform other operations 4
For consultations 25
The reasons for the 20 Caesarean Section operations were as follows :—
Abnormal outlet 1
Breech presentation 2