MATERNAL MORTALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19557, 9 February 1927, Page 14

MATERNAL MORTALITY.

CRUSADE AGAINST TROUBLE. MOVE BY MEDICAL PROFESSION. FORMATION OF SPECIAL SOCIETY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DUNEDIN, Tuesday. The high incidence of puerperal mortality in English-speaking countries has of recent years led the medical profession to institute thorough and exhaustive investigations into its actual extent and its causation. Commissions have been set' up and have done valuable work in Great Britain, America and Australia, and as a result of the example and achievement of these countries the medical profession in New Zealand is determined that an Obstetrical Society shall be set up in New Zealand to form a section of the work of 10 Dominion branch of the British Medial Association.

The medical profession in New Zealand, actuated by a desire for obstetrical research in the Dominion and not a little concerned over the incidence of maternal mortality, has decided to embark upon a crusade against a trouble that is costing the country a great many lives. It has been decided to form an Obsterical Society in New Zealand, and taking advantage. of the presence of experts from Victoria at the Medical Congress, plans have been carefully considered and a definite policy decided. Responses to a preliminary circular sent out a few days ago have been most encouraging, and itis anticipated no difficulty will be experienced in the formation of a society capable of accomplishing the greatest good for the community. The society will lay special stress on the importance of ante-natal care and treatment and an endeavour will be madu to standardise methods of treatment and technique in order to arrive at the best possible results. Hitherto the Department of Public Health has been unable to collect reliable statistics of maternity work, but the institution of a society of this nature should allow of a comprehensive volume of details and figures being collected from a great many private practitioners, thus affording the department valuable data on which to base its efforts to raise the standards of public health.

AN ASPECT OP SURGERY.

WARNING BY EXPERTS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, Tuesday.

At the Medical Congress to-day Dr. Henry Jellett, of Christchurch. and previously of the Rotunda Hospital, the chief obstetrical hospital in Dublin, read a paper warning his colleagues against the abuse of the operation of Caesarean section. He dealt in detail with all the alleged indications leading to this operation, and showed how each one of these conditions could be met by other means.

Dr. A. M. Wilson, of Melbourne, also dealt with the same subject. He. emphasised the risk attending the operation, and pointed out that the risk was greatly increased when complications were present.

Professor J. C. Windeyer, of Sydney, agreed with Dr. Jellett that Caesarean section had been grossly overdone everywhere, and particularly in America. Dr. F. R. Riley, of Eunedin, agreed in the main with the previous speakers, but recounted the conditions under which he had thought it wiso to do the operation.

Several other speakers testified to the fact that if ante-natal supervision were carried out consistently, the necessity for submitting women to so risky an operation would disappear.