MATERNAL WELFARE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11453, 2 March 1931, Page 3

MATERNAL WELFARE

MODERN, METHODS DISCUSSED

PROFESSOR ALLAN’S ADDRESS.

Keen interest was manifested by women in the address delivered nb the Y.W.C.A. bv Frofessor Marshall Allan, of fbe Clinir of Midwifery, Melbourne University, there being a very large a I tendance over which Dr. -T. IV. Williams, president of the Gisborne. branch of the M.M'.A.,' presided. TJsinre fi sprif** of interPßtin<T v, lAn-. tern slides to illustrate bis address. Professor Allen showed, bow hospital construction had progressed in. recent times and explained that institutions in Germany,■ Vienna and _ Holland were in their wav of as high a standard ns the best- in America. Those in Vienna-, particularly, he said, were likely to influence hospital architecture in Australasia. . One Viennese hospital had been built by a union of professional men, actors, accountants, etc., who had realised the need for care of the mother and her child above all else. Post-war conditions in Austria led to a' great, increase in maternal mortality and therefore this hospital and others were built and equipped in light of al' modern obstetrical knowledge. Two-bed wards were most favored iir maternity hospitals to-day. and there were never more than six hods in a .ward. By,a clever arrangement; of curtains each 1 bed could ho screened off. comnletelv from the rest of the ward. Before . isolated beds, wore recognised ns the best plan; privacy was usually obtained hv the erect ion of a 10-ff wall between eacli bed'and au arrangement of; curtains along the front. New Zealand hospitals. exrept in regard ..to the number of beds in a ward, wore ver*’*' modem and well-coni need. Hamilton. ior insnnee, lmr| a maternity• unit, ns fine ns anv in the world. Professor Allan mentioned that. Austria. Holland, and America had •Ivarvelious pr'ovis'on for the aftercare of the infant , which was never seen hv the gynecologist after birth, bid was then put ‘in a snceial ward and a ( tended hv ..specialists. Each habv was.placed in an adqjustahle'cot. (waist-high, to the nurse) ■ and each on.t was .screened hv, glass panels. All the attendant nurses wore masks and gloves' when hnndl’ng'the infants and thov were never touched hv anvonc hut the charge nurses and mothers until they left the institution. Even the fathers had to content themselves with glances through the glass screen.' Such' after-care as this appeared particularly required in Americn where the mooter either would not or could not. nurse her child. Brief reference was also . made <0 tbp work of the Rush Nursing Association of Victoria and the professor piloted figures showing that the establishment. of ibis srstem had reduced the percentage of deaths in the first three months from 2-3 to 14. This splendid progress had been made possible only by the co-operation of doctor. nurse and mother in the mnt+-r of preventive obstetrics, the mother’s duty being to notifv the doctor nnr.lv as to her condition and then obtain competent advice as to care required and possible'dangers to be nnarded against. " A vote of thanks was proposed bv Mrs. I .T. Quigley, who also referred "in the excellent response given by the Dominion to tli e recent anneal for funds. In the course of his reply. Professor Allan referred to the two travelling scholarships which bad been made available hv the surplus of this fund and pointed out that the doctors selected would have an opportunity of acquiring knowledge m + he finest gynecological institutions, after which he would have them for six months at Melbourne University. From what he had seen of the New Zealand medical students, he telt that he could sav thev would form the nucleus of a body of obstetricians as fine as any in the world.and that the value of their services to New Zealand would be incalculable.