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137
ANALGESIA IN LABOUR.
The administration of sedative drugs forms part of the routine
for patients in labour; the administration of gas and air with the
Minnitt apparatus has continued to be available for every healthy
patient. Nevertheless, the measure of relief from pain for all
patients has not been as good as many patients had hoped. There
are several reasons for this: (i) a few patients are too timid to try
the apparatus as they are afraid of becoming unconscious; (ii) others
use the gas very ineffectively because they are unable to maintain
the necessary self-control in keeping the mask close to the face;
(iii) a further group show a lessening of self-control with deep
inhalation of the mixture of gas and air; (iv) the inhalations should
precede the onset of pains, as a short interval elapses before the
analgesic effects become apparent. Most patients do not apply the
mask and inhale until they are suffering acute pain, consequently
the relief of pain is not so good as it might be.
Although the gas and air apparatus has been designed for selfadministration
by the patient, it is found in practice that all
patients require very close supervision and help in order to derive
the maximum benefit from its use. There is now an improved type
of apparatus on the market, which, it is claimed, will afford greater
relief from pain for women in labour than other designs.