MATERNITY CASES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 11

MATERNITY CASES.

UNMARRIED MOTHERS RECEPTION AT ST. HELENS. BOARD MEMBERS AGREE. The contention that St. Helens Hospital should be available to expectant mothers, whether married or single, was expressed at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board by Mr. W. A. Bishop and received the unanimous support of the members. Dr. J. W. Craven, medicial superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, submitted to the board a report covering maternity cases which were dealt with at the Auckland Hospital. * He stated that there were not adequate facilities at present available in the Auckland Hospital properly to segregate and treat obstetrical cases, and he did not think these facilities should be provided so long as St. Helens Hosp : tal was to function as the maternity hospital for Auckland. No Obstetrician. There were at present members of the honorary staff, both medical and surgical, who were specially trained, Dr. Craven said, and sufficiently qualified to deal with any obstetrical emergency, but 110 obstetrician, as such, had been appointed to the staff. During the year ended March 31 last only 90 obstetrical cases of all classes were .admitted to the Auckland Hospital, and all but five were sent in by private practitioners. Of the 90 cases 02 should have been treated in St. Helens had the necessary accommodation been available. Only 18 were really cases for a general hospital, and not a maternity hospital. "On these figures," the report proceeded, "the appointment of an obstetrician and obstetrical nurses to the staff would not appear to be warranted if St. Helens functions as a completely equipped maternity hospital, sufficiently large to cope with the number of cases expected in an area the size of Auckland." Dr. Craven's report was a reply tb a suggestion made by Dr. M. H. Watt, Director-General of Health, in April last, that so long as obstetrical cases continued to be admitted to the Auckland Hospital there should be added to the staff an obstetrical specialist and specially trained obstetrical nurses, who would l>e responsible for the care of obstetrical cases. Help Called For. Mr. Bishop said that women, whether married or unmarried, should be admitted to St. Helens. "The unmarried mother needs help perhaps more than the married mother," he proceeded. "It is not for us to judge them. I take it there would have to be an amendment to the existing legislation to permit unmarried mothers being admitted to St. Helens. I think we should take the matter up with the object of getting the Act amended." Dr. J. P. Hastings: Mr. Bishop is to be congratulated upon his suggestion. Every consideration should be given to the unmarried mother. It is high time steps were taken in the direction indicated. Dr. J. W. Craven said St. Helens Hospital should be equipped to accommodate all maternity cases. It was decided that a copy of Dr. Craven's report, together with the letter from the Director-General of Health, be sent to every member of the board, and that the matter be further considered by the committee of the board.