[Report 1929] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough.

  • Darlington (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1929
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1929] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    35/138 (page 33)
    Health, and tlie British Medical Association. These detailed particulars in the eight cases of maternal deaths were pre])ared by the Medical Ollicer of Health in consultation with the Doctor or IMidwife in charge of the case, and then forwarded to the Ministry as directed. ' In 3 of the cases al)ortions were the determining agents leading to tlie train of sym])toms wliich ended fatally. It is difficult to be always certain in our knowledge as to why tlicse occurred. Eclampsia or poisoning due to inefficiency of the kidneys in throwing out the waste ])rodncts accounted for 2 deaths. Ante- Xatal examinations and reasonable care would have }n'evcnted these deaths. Puerperal Septicaemia or Fever following full-time confine- ments, always tragic but only sometimes culpable accounted for . 2 deaths, and imjuiry showed that both these patients were of very delicate constitution, and had received every reasonable care. The remaining death was one of those unfortunate accidents which cannot be foreseen or even prevented—Embolism, or clot. Deaths under one month.—Though the death-rates of children I under one year have fallen during the last 50 years from 160 to f 81 per 1,000 births, no appreciable reduction has taken place in i the case of babies under four weeks. NEO-NATAL DEATH BATE PEB 1.000 BIBTHS. 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1 923 1922 Kirths 1205 1140 1148 1269 1288 1389 1446 1505 Death Rate 36*51 39*50 30*49 44*13 41*15 37*44 29*05 33*22 -Actual Deaths 44 45 35 56 53 52 42 50 Average 1922-28 : Bate 36*25 Actual Deaths 47*57 I There is therefore a slight relative increase during 1929 in the I death-rate of children under four weeks, compared with the average . death-rate during the previous seven years, all pointing to the i necessity for further diligence in the care of tlie expectant mother.