SAVING THE MOTHERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20639, 30 January 1937, Page 11

SAVING THE MOTHERS

ADVANCE AGAINST PUERPERAL FEVER NEW DRUG IN USE □cited Press Association—Bv fflectrlo Telegraph -riorvrlght (Received January 29, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 28. Sir Ernest Graham-Little, in a debate In the House of Commons on a measure concerning maternity services in Scotland, said that Queen Charlotte’s Hospital, London, had conducted during the past year observations into the prospect of mitigating mortality from puerperal fever. A new drug had been tried with the remarkable result of reducing mortality from 22 to 2 per cent. The experiment could be conducted only in a wellequipped maternity hospital under the most skilled supervisipn. Sir Ernest Graham-Little disclosed in an interview that the new drug was named sulphonamide. It was only revealed to the London Pathological Society a fortnight ago and is regarded as a great advance in the science of drugs, as it was simpler in constitution. possessing less toxicity than many of the earlier drugs recommended for a similar purpose. There was also the tremendous advantage that it could best be administered by the mouth. It was not a secret formula or a patent, but was at the disposal of the medical profession. It is understood that part of the work on the discovery of the drug was done in England.