MATERNAL DEATHS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 June 1924, Page 7

MATERNAL DEATHS.

MEDICAL MEN IN CONFERENCE,. ALARMIST REPORTS. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. > WELLINGTON, June 16. At a meeting of the Council of the British Medical Association delegates from all parts of the Dominion were present. The report recently published in the press on the subject of maternal mortality was discussed and the following resolution was adupted unanimously:— “That this association, while anxious to assist in any practical way to reduce maternal mortality, views with grave disfavour the alarming and exaggerated statements made on the public platform and published in the press throughout New Zealand. It should be explained that of the 755 maternal deaths during the last five years only 267 were attributable to septicaemia, and as deaths from abortion, however procured, are not differentiated from deaths at full term, a fair inference is that only a proportion of this number were due to puerperal septicaemia as generally understood. Moreover, the Bertillon system of registration, although at present widely recognised, is unsatisfactory as a means of comparison between countries. While we cannot, unfortunately, gainsay our own figures, this council is firmly of opinion, from its knowledge of obstetric work and conditions in some of the other countries mentioned that the relative position of New Zealand in respect to maternal mortality is in reality better than has been stated. The council deprecates particularly such statements as those attributed to Dr. Truby King, viz., ‘that for every 100 women sacrificed 1000 were gravely damaged,’ and ‘that of 30,000 children bom every year 1000 were damaged by precipitate midwifery,’ and further (as published in another report) ‘that of 30,000 children bbm annually in New Zealand thousands were damaged for life.’ The council considers such statements contrary to fact, and seriously and unnecessarily alarming to expectant mothers.”