ST. HELENS HOSPITALS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 287, 28 August 1908, Page 5

ST. HELENS HOSPITALS.

INTERESTING REPORTS. TRAINING OF WIDWIVES. Dr. Yalintine, in his annual report as Inspector-General of Hospitals, says that during tlio year 1907-8 1 thcro wore 662 pationts admitted to tho four St. Helens Hospitals, and C 67 infants born therein. Thero were four maternal deaths and four deaths of infants during tho year. This is a satisfactory, record, especially when it is remembered that cases liavo sometimes been sent to the St. Helens Hospitals when complications have set in and special treatment lias been considered necessary. In addition to these indoor cases, 160 outdoor eases were attended by nurses from the St._ Helens Hospitals. Of the 160 infants born, six died. Thero wero no maternal deaths. It will be noticed that of tho infants born in St. Helens Hospital, Wellington, during the year no less than 97} per cent, wero nursed by their mothers. This should go to show that tho cry so often raised as to tho inability of the modern mother to nurse her child is—at any rate as far as New Zealand is concerned —greatly exaggerated. The cost of 'maintenance of the four St. Helens Hospitals was £3667, of which £2850 was recouped in tho shape of patients' payments and probationers' fees. Tho total cost to the Dominion of tho four St. Helens institutions, exclusivo of capital expenditure and expenses of Departmental administration, was therefore ,£SI7, or £1 a bead for each child born. Now that tho patients are more numerous and tho four hospitals aro in full swing, it is hoped that they will become practically self-supporting. The' St. Helens Hospitals act as training-schools for midwives, about thirty-five of whom coinpleto their training annually.

MIDWIFERY. . Dr. Valintir.o also directs special attention to the following remarks by Miss Maclean, Assistant Inspector of Hospitals:— "A' very important feature of the training' of the midwives at the State maternity hospitals is the stress, laid,oll the necessity of every possible means being used to induce mothers to nurse their infants. That efforts conscientiously and "carefully made are attended with success is indicated by tho fact that tho number of mothers unable to nurso among the patients confined at St. Helens, Wellington; or attended by tho nurses, in one year, is only por cent., and in each case theso women were incapacitated from performing their natural functions by disease. There have been instances in all theso hospitals wbcre patients confined of their fifth ■and sixth child, and previously unablo to nurse, have by the proper treatment been enabled to do so. This strongly emphasises the fact that practical and theoretical teaching must bo combined, and that practical training must be carried out under tho close and constant supervision of a woll-trained matron, rather than under a doctor, however efficient, whose time and opportunity for superintending is necessarily limited. "It has been suggested that untrained registered midwives should bo allowed to attend the course of lectures at tho State maternity schools, in order to gain more knowledge of thoir work. This course was tried when the.schools wero first established, but, although a few women availed them-, selves of tho opportunity, it was found not desirable to go on with it. The course of lecturcs being delivered in conjunction with study • and practical work, under the supervision of doctor and matron. in the hospitals, was not adapted either to tho requirements or the understanding of tho, for the greater part, uneducated women who were otherwise eligiblo. Moreover, as tho. nature of tho work in tho hospitals, and also-the outside calls of tho medical attendant, rendered it impossible to adhere always to times arranged for lcctures, it woulcl bo extremely difficult to,arrange for outsiders to attend. I may add, however, that the few applications that have been inado by registered midwives to attend have not been refused.' "A moro practicable and at the samo time ■moro valuable means of instruction for theso midwives would be by a system of individual inspection and supervision, and lectures delivered at suitable times and places to these women'alone."