Some Trying Cases

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XV, Issue 3, 1 July 1922, Page 135

Some Trying Cases

An ante partum haemorrhage case sent to hospital, thence here, had bled throughout pregnancy, and yet, the patient looked well and had a splendid pulse. Doctor waited hoping to save the child, which was then about seven months ; when, however, the heart disappeared, he induced labour. An hour after the patient collapsed — I have rarely seen anyone so near the edge come back. She was a most unsatisfactory patient ; tried after a few days to get lung complication, which we did not give a chance ; then her leg began to pain and swell, fortunately that quietened down, and, to cap all, a small simple blister on her breast, turned into an ulcer, in spite of most constant care. She was sent up from the country. Another ante partum haemorrhage case came in recently — this time placenta pracvia, also in an extremely low state of health. The baby was again dead before birth. Her temperature keeping up we isolated her, and could not understand why her nerves went to pieces over it, and her legs were in a chronic state of quiver till she confessed she had heard some word of sepsis while in hospital — on her way here she thought that was the reason of our moving her. But this case was the worst of all — I have never seen such an eclampsia. The patient was received in the evening, hav-

ing taken one fit — took another in the corridor here, and had nine altogether. The bowels were acting everywhere, and she was so sick — came up like a soapy geyser, and as she had had curried eggs for tea and pineapple, besides all sorts of other things that day, things were just anyhow for a while, and I had anything but a clean case in the labour ward just then ! However, the patient quietened down through the night ; had morphia, and retained salines well, but at 5 a.m. she commenced again. Blood was removed in the morning, and all the usual treatment carried out most strenuously, but about 1 p.m. she changed very suddenly for the worse. The doctor decided that as there was practically no dilatation, immediate operation was the only chance. It seemed she would not last till she got to hospital, let alone through the operation, but she did. Doctor removed the child by vaginal section, of course still born; the heart had disappeared before that. Ido not think I have ever seen a more bloated swollen face; from the chin to chest was one straight line, and, queerly enough, the infant's was the same at birth. Doctor had to turn the child, and had great difficulty in getting it down. It looked impossible for the mother to live, yet at 11 p.m. that same night she was conscious and spoke to the doctor. At present she is doing quite well, and has no eye symptoms !