H.—3l

Margaret Morris Exercises. In 1937 classes for the teaching and practice of the system of Margaret Morris exercises were introduced and conducted at St. Helens Hospital, Wellington. During the past year these have been continued, and have also been introduced at St. Helens Hospital, Ohristchurch. The Medical Superintendent of Wellington St. Helens Hospital states that the forceps rate for 200 patients who attended the classes was 1-5 per cent., as against 4-4 per cent, for other patients. As stated by Dr. Chapman, while too much stress must not be laid on figures representing a small number of cases it would seem that the claim that the exercises promote easier and more natural delivery is supported by the figures as well as by the opinion of those attending the patients. Further results will be awaited with interest. The Medical Superintendent at Christchurch, whose experience of them in the hospital under his charge is over a period of six months only, says of these exercises :— " It is perhaps too early to comment on their value, but out of those patients who have taken up the exercises conscientiously we have had several surprisingly easy primiparous deliveries." A cknowledgments. Acknowledgment is due to the many organizations which have assisted the officers of the different St. Helens Hospitals to provide various amenities which greatly increased the comfort, physical and mental, of the patients. In this connection I mention the Mayor's Relief Funds ; Rotary Clubs ; St. John Ambulance Associations ; Friends of St. Helens, Christchurch : Girl Guides ; St. Vincent de Paul Societies ; St. Thomas's Guild ; the Seatoun League of Mothers ; Welfare Circle, Lyceum Club, Auckland; Auckland Hospital Auxiliary ; and the various church organizations and old girls' societies. Maternity Services in General Medical and Surgical Hospitals. The ntimber of small maternity hospitals necessary for the small and scattered population of New Zealand prevents their use for the graver obstetrical emergencies that occur and for the isolation of septic and other infectious conditions. The only provision for such cases are general hospitals, either public or private, in which facilities for surgical treatment are available, and in which cases of puerperal sepsis cease to be a menace to others. To provide full facilities they should have a small obstetrical unit specially staffed and equipped for the purpose. The following table shows the nature of the cases admitted to these hospitals

Table III. —Maternity Cases admitted to General Hospitals.

11— H. 31.

81

1938. 1937. 1936. Cases. Deaths. Cases, j Deaths. Cases. Deaths. For ante-natal treatment only .. .. .. 62 1 21 .. 24 Admitted before delivery — For ante-natal treatment and delivery .. 10 1 13 .. 29 For emergency oases without complications .. 52 1 27 . . 20 For obstructed labour .. .. •• 131 4 117 7 109 3 Failed forceps .. .. • • • • 7 1 For accidental haemorrhage .. .. .. 25 .. 28 2 27 For placenta previa .. • ■ 41 4 23 I 23 For eclampsia .. .. • • 19 • • 25 2 29 3 For puerperal toxaemia without eclampsia 59 3 57 4 41 4 For other conditions .. .. • • 76 5 65 14 37 3 Totals .. .. • • 510 20 365 30 315 19 Method of delivery — Natural .. .. • • • • • • 173 10 146 11 133 7 Instrumental .. .. ■ ■ ■ • 24 .. 23 .. 16 Version .. .. •• •• 2 .. 4 I 4 Caesarean SectionPrimary .. .. • • • • 181 6 151 10 127 4 Secondary to failed forceps . . . ■ 3 1 3 2 1 Induction of labour . . . . . . • • 35 . . 34 3 17 I Other operations .. .. • • • • • • • • 1 Undelivered .. .. •• 2 2 3 3 7 7 Totals .. • • ■ • 510 20 365 30 315 19 Admitted after delivery — For eclampsia and toxaemia .. .. ..12 2 9 6 7 1 For post-partum haemorrhage, shock, and embolism 14 3 7 7 6 For puerperal sepsis .. ■■ ..141 9 112 9 72 9 For other conditions associated with parturition 169 5 133 7 112 5 Totals .. .. •• ..336 19 261 29 197 15