Statistics of obstetric practice in Montrose / by Samuel Lawrence.

  • Lawrence, Samuel
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statistics of obstetric practice in Montrose / by Samuel Lawrence. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    STATISTICS OF OBSTETRIC PRACTICE. I.—General Statistics. During the period of which a record has been kept, there occurred 360 cases. These 360 labours produced 368 children. There were thus 8 twin cases. 190 children were males : 178 females. 97 labours were primiparous : 263 were second or subsequent deliveries. Of the 360 deliveries, 154 took place between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. ; and 206 between 6 p.m, and 6 a.m. 11 children were born dead; and in three of these putrefaction was more or less advanced. There were 13 tedious and difficult labours. Instrumental aid—the forceps —was required thrice. Of the 360 cases, 31 were over before my arrival, and from their rapidity, the presentation may be presumed to have been natural. 11 cases were preternatural presentations, viz., 3 arm, 2 funis, 5 breech, and 1 face. Deducting these numbers, and also the twin cases from 360, there remain 310 cases of cranial presentation ; but the position of the head unfortunately has not been noted. Ante-partum hemorrhage occurred twice at full period of utero-gestation; and post-partum hemorrhage also twice. There was only 1 case of puerperal convulsions. In one of the cases the mother was a mute. All the women recovered. No attempt was made at recording the duration of labour, from the difficulty—if not im¬ possibility—in private practice of fixing the exact commencement of the par¬ turient process. Both nurses and patients often err greatly in this point. Neither have I any record of the ages of my patients. This is a point which, in private practice, we must be often contented to remain in ignorance of. TABLE I.—Showing the Proportion of the above Particulars. Male children, 190 to 368 births, being 51 ff per cent. Female do., 178 to 368 48H- ... Primiparous births, 97 to 360 26+| ... Second and subsequent births, .... 263 to 360 73TV ... Delivered between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., 154 to 360 ... •-6 p.m. and 6 a.m., 206 to 360 57f ... Tedious and difficult labours 13 to 360 ... _1 ^•18 * * * Forceps cases, 3 to 360 do. being 1 in 120 Children bom dead 11 to 360 32t\ Preternatural presentations, 11 to 360 32t\ Twin births, 8 to 360 45 Ante-partum hemorrhage, 2 to 360 180 Post-partum . 2 to 360 180 Puerperal convulsions 1 to 360 360 II.—Special Statistics. 1st. Tedious and Difficult Labours. Of this class of labours it has been stated there were thirteen cases. The causes generally were deficiency of uterine action, rigidity of soft parts, or largeness of child. In only one case was it malposition. Nine of the children
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