BUILD UP THE NATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 198, 10 May 1918, Page 3

BUILD UP THE NATION

OBSTETRIC METHODS CRITICISED MEDICAL MEN INDIGNANT The nation (hat is going to win tha next war is the nation that: will most seriously foster tho birth-rnio and protest infant life. Such nn observation from so earnest a student of the vitally-important question involved, as Mr. Neville Mayman, of Sydney (lor six years president of the Koyul llospittil for Women in Sydney), and whose scheme for the preservation of infant life has been taken up by the New South Wales Government, is one that should arrest attention. Mr. Maymnn holds that the present war cannot last a great while longer. The process of exhaustion on both, sides is too severe for that, and it is because the war will end by exhaustion that he believes that it will not be tho last great war. The nextflyar will come probably about l'Jt'2 or li)l,'l, when the nations have built up their war power, and to the nation that does that most thoroughly must go the victory. Whether Mr. Maymaii's theory proves by tho effluxion of time to be true or not, his argument in favour of the preservation of infant life is irrefutable. No white nation can lose hundreds of thousands of men in tho prime of life without injury to its physical constitution. This war is as though a plague has broken out, and wiped'out a whole generation of males. That could not happen without weakening the man-power of a people for many years. The amazing revelation of Germany's strength in man-power must bo attributed to the higher birth-rate she has maintained in comparison with any of hor enemies, and if she has used that power ruthlessly, brutally, from our viewpoint, she lias demonstrated with startling clarity 'he one outstanding fact ■ that she had it to use.

Mr. Mayman is not at all satisfied with the birth-rate in New Zealand. In the course of an interesting talk with a Do.urao.N' reporter, he confessed to a 6ense of his investigations into our statistics on this point, because in a vigorous and prosperous young country such as the Dominion he expected to find a rather better condition prevailing, than actually did prevail. A Bout With the Medical Profossion. In Christahurch recently Mr. Mayman raised a storm of protest from the medical men* by pointing out that the use of instruments, and chloroform in obstetrics was excessive in New Zealand, excessivein comparison with the use of such deleterious aids to nature in other countries. In reply to the burst of indignation from the medical men, ouo of whom referred to Mr. Mayman's "gross impertinence," the latter says that ho had no '.desire nor thought of entering into any controversy with tho medical'profession, but at the same time he did not llinch. at stating the facts, because of the object ho had at heart, to which such methods (in obstetrics) were opposed. Mr. Mayman says, however, that as the accuracy of his statement was questioned by Christchurch medical men, he desired to say that the statement did not originate with him. He had merely repeated a declaration given in evidence by members of the profession at a recent investigation into an outbreak of puerperal septicaemia. "At the official inquiry to which I allude," said Mr., Mayman, "it was mentioned by one medical man, who claimed by reason of his unique experienco in obstetrics to be in a position to speak authoritatively on the matter, that SO per cent, of his confinement cases wcro instrumental, and '.hat in about 99-1 per cent, of the cases chloroform was administered. A second doctor, giving evidence at the same inquiry, said that 90 per cent, of his cases needed chloroform, and instruments were employed in 50 per cent, of the' births.' The last-men-tioned percentage lie stated to be under the average, because he often employed manual means in order to avoid mentation. I was so staggered at these figures that I made very full and adequate inquiry, and after consulting many members of both medical and nursing professions • formed the conclusion that the use of instruments in accouchoments is in the case of private practitioners all too frequent.

St. Helens Hospitals Praised. "A contrast with the practice in tho excellent St. Helens Hospitals is significant. At Auckland St. Helens, where, I may mention, an admirable work is carried on with the minimum of equipment, about 500 maternity cases were dealt with last year (indoor and outdoor). At Wellington, where there is a thoroughly up-to-date hospital conducted under most competent management, the St. Helens attended approximately a similar number of women. The use of instruments and chloroform in both these institutions is practically unknown-the percentage of cases in which artificial means is resorted to is so small as to be hardly worth mentioning—about 2 per cent. In Auckland St. Helens, as well as in Wellington, I saw none but happy and contented mothers, and bright and bonny babies. "I happen to be the president of perhaps the largest maternity hospital in Australasia. last. year the births at this institution amounted to between IGOO and ITOO, and again the cases of instrumentation are so few as to bo almost negligible. In face of these facts, is it to be believed that-instrumentation . is really needed in SO per cent, of tho cases delivered outside institution walls?

"Being a layman, I cannot, of course, speak with any authority as to the damage that follows the practice of facilitating births by artificial means, but I quote well-informed medical and nursing opinion when I say that in many cases it must result in-grave injury to the mother and child. In this connection it is noil to recall the fact that the New Zealand birth-rato is alarming on the decrease, and that the IJqmininn possesses a large number nf children who are mentally and physically defective.

"The facts as I have been able to ascertain then) undoubtedly go to show that, the policy of the Government in establishing maternity hospitals on a. scale is absolutely sound, and that the extra accommodation provided for maternity .patients and the increased number of trained mid wives, made possible thereby will enable the women of the Dominion to be provided in the near future with the very best assistance and facilities in maternity lliat science can give."