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Progress in the prevention of needless neonatal deaths
Vulrrme 06 Number I
lloo1c
215
REVIEWS
reading, containing a particularly representative series of reviews in both obstetrics and gynecology. There are 253 pages devoted to obstetrical subjects, 159 to gynecological reviews. As usual, the author’s remarks are cogent and reveal an extensive knowledge of the literature pertaining to his specialty. The reviews dealing with carcinoma of the cervix, its diagnosis and treatment, are particularly timely and demonstrate the great interest in this particular phase of gynecology. Likewise, the section on infertility is representative and pertinent. LOUIS 14. HELI,MAN.
A Nurse’s Handbook
of Obstetrics.
1952, J. B. Lippincott plates. $4.75.
Co.
Ninth
By
El. C. Zabriskic and N. J. East~man. edition, 695 pages with 377 illustrations
Pl~iladcll~hin, and 8 color
The ninth edition of what must be recognized as one of the leading textbooks in the field of obstetric nursing has just been published. The preceding edition is now four years old. The present text is approximately the same size as its predecessor and contains 377 illustrations. It is divided into six major units, namely, human reproduction, nursing in pregnancy, nursing during labor and delivery, nursing during the puerperium, the neonatal period, additional maternity information. After each one of these major sections there is a section devoted to conference material and another to situation questions. These One of the remarkable things about latter are well thought out and prove stimulating. this text is that its senior author, in spite of the fact that she has not been associated with active obsterical nursing for many years, has kept remarkably abreast of the times. The text contains some discussion of most of the modern developments in obstetrics. There are, however, a few areas where lack of familiarity with the rapidly progressing field is evident. This is particularly true in the section on anesthesia and analgesia, where old and obsolete anesthetic equipment is demonstrated in the illustrations and some of the text deals with methods of anesthesia no longer prevalently used. The same criticism can be directed at the section on uterine inertia. Many of the illustrations are superb, particularly those done by Miss Ranirc Birch. However, some of the older illustrations have been too long retained and appear somewhat dated. This book is entitled B h’ursc’s Handbook of Ohstet&x. However. as such, it has outgrown its handbook status. Too many interesting and new far&s in obstrtrics have been added without removal of some of the old and obsolete material. Tn order to retain all of this material without increasing the size of the volume, the editors have given their text a crowded The type is too small to permit ease of reading, especially for the student to appearansc. whom many of the words and much of the material are new. The double columns of thtl tpat do not, leave a pleasing impression. In spite of this criticism, this book remains one of the outstanding nursing texts on obst,t>trics in the English language. There is much in it that is thought provoking and it must serve as a stimulus to any nurse who USPS it to learn this specialty. LOUIS H. HE~JXAN.
Progress Potter, tions.
in
the Prevention
of Needless
U’. I. Fishbein, Reprinted from
F. C. Bauer, and G. Y. Plotzke. Annual Report of the Chicago
Neonatal
Deaths.
By H. N. Ruudesen, 373 pages with Health Department,
E. I,. 31 illustra1951.
This report covers a study under the auspices of the Chicago Health Department, which is unique in the extent and intensity of effort. It is likely to evoke a variety of reactions in the readers, depending not only on their field of activity, but also on the The results and recommendations may seem type of practice in which they are engaged. trivial to those who work at first-rate hospitals or medical schools. Yet one should realize that the majority of infants are not born at these institutions. Accordingly, much of the effort of Bundesen and co-workers has been devoted, not so much to the advancement of knowledge, as to the dissemination of existing information. This is evident from the
introduction where five points are listed: (1) if the causes of infant (leaths were known; (2) if all infants had been given “known accepted treatment aud (Bare from the Vera start”; (3) if health authorities had assumed their full share in appraising conditions and contributed to the solution of the problem; (4) if pregnant women of lower nocioeronomi17 status had taken advantage of existing facilities; and (5) if methods used in ot,her puhli~~ health activities had been utilized to make certain that these women receive antepartum (‘are-then the neonatal mortality rate could have been lowered. This has bee11 accom plished to some extent during the latter years nf the Chicago projecdl. Of particular intereat to obstetricians is a wealth of statistical information on factors operating in t,he mother, at birth, and in the infant in their relation to neonatal death. There is a study of the causes of death during the first month of life, divided among seven principal groups as follows: abnormal pulmonary ventilation, 43.7 per cent; injuries at birth, 16.6 per cent; malformations, 15.8 per cent; infections, 13.4 per cent: blood dyscrasias, 5.3 per cent; anoxia, 3.8 per cent; and miscellaneous, 1.4 per cent. To this reviewer, the figures appear to be misleading, particularly sinre they suggest that birth injury is a cause of death more than four times, and infection more than three times ai; often as anoxia. This disagreement with the experience of many ot,her authorities i? explained by the fact that some of the seven categories are cloaelp interrelated, and not mutually exclusive, It is known, for instance, that intrarranial hemfbrrhage as well as early postnatal pneumonia may be sequelae of anoxia. It is doubtful that any system as simple as that used by Bundesen and PO-workers can 110 justice to the problems involvcll in neonatal death. Two sections deal with the manner in which health oficers, in csooperation with hospitals and their staffs, can improve and properly maintain the conditions under whic*h the overwhelming majority of hahies are born. In its present, form? this report should be very useful to public health agencic-. hospital administrators, and those supervising clinical services. In addition, t,he material nn which it. is based has yielded important, scientific information in the hands of E. 1.. Potter on previous occasions, and will doubtless continue to do so. 13. (.i.
(:RIIY:NWAI,II.
Books Received .ZI;THI)II
TITJJE
&dical Progress Office Psychiatrv Anales de1 Institute de farmacologia espanola Patologia Obstetricia 11 Diritto Alla Nascita Rlood Sugar of Newhorn Infants
l+:d. Morris I~‘ishbcin I,. G. Moench
Obstetrica
Juan
Practica
1)as Inselsysten The
Scalp
Version
des Pankreas
in Health
and Disease
Josr Hotella Llusia Rel~astino Iii Franeesco Jorgfm Prdersctn Lean
Helmut
Frrnc,r
Howard
1’. Behrmau
Hlakistou (‘ompanv Year Rook Pubiishrars. In,‘. Institute de Farmacologia IGapnola, Madrid Editorial’ Cientifieo Editrice Studium, Rome Danish Science Publisher, I’rcns+ L & D, Copenhagen El Ateneo, Florida 340, 1952. Buenos Aires. 96 ills. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1952, 54 ills. The C. V. Mosby Company, St. Louis, 1952. 566 pages, 312 ills.
The* The
lloo1c
215
REVIEWS
reading, containing a particularly representative series of reviews in both obstetrics and gynecology. There are 253 pages devoted to obstetrical subjects, 159 to gynecological reviews. As usual, the author’s remarks are cogent and reveal an extensive knowledge of the literature pertaining to his specialty. The reviews dealing with carcinoma of the cervix, its diagnosis and treatment, are particularly timely and demonstrate the great interest in this particular phase of gynecology. Likewise, the section on infertility is representative and pertinent. LOUIS 14. HELI,MAN.
A Nurse’s Handbook
of Obstetrics.
1952, J. B. Lippincott plates. $4.75.
Co.
Ninth
By
El. C. Zabriskic and N. J. East~man. edition, 695 pages with 377 illustrations
Pl~iladcll~hin, and 8 color
The ninth edition of what must be recognized as one of the leading textbooks in the field of obstetric nursing has just been published. The preceding edition is now four years old. The present text is approximately the same size as its predecessor and contains 377 illustrations. It is divided into six major units, namely, human reproduction, nursing in pregnancy, nursing during labor and delivery, nursing during the puerperium, the neonatal period, additional maternity information. After each one of these major sections there is a section devoted to conference material and another to situation questions. These One of the remarkable things about latter are well thought out and prove stimulating. this text is that its senior author, in spite of the fact that she has not been associated with active obsterical nursing for many years, has kept remarkably abreast of the times. The text contains some discussion of most of the modern developments in obstetrics. There are, however, a few areas where lack of familiarity with the rapidly progressing field is evident. This is particularly true in the section on anesthesia and analgesia, where old and obsolete anesthetic equipment is demonstrated in the illustrations and some of the text deals with methods of anesthesia no longer prevalently used. The same criticism can be directed at the section on uterine inertia. Many of the illustrations are superb, particularly those done by Miss Ranirc Birch. However, some of the older illustrations have been too long retained and appear somewhat dated. This book is entitled B h’ursc’s Handbook of Ohstet&x. However. as such, it has outgrown its handbook status. Too many interesting and new far&s in obstrtrics have been added without removal of some of the old and obsolete material. Tn order to retain all of this material without increasing the size of the volume, the editors have given their text a crowded The type is too small to permit ease of reading, especially for the student to appearansc. whom many of the words and much of the material are new. The double columns of thtl tpat do not, leave a pleasing impression. In spite of this criticism, this book remains one of the outstanding nursing texts on obst,t>trics in the English language. There is much in it that is thought provoking and it must serve as a stimulus to any nurse who USPS it to learn this specialty. LOUIS H. HE~JXAN.
Progress Potter, tions.
in
the Prevention
of Needless
U’. I. Fishbein, Reprinted from
F. C. Bauer, and G. Y. Plotzke. Annual Report of the Chicago
Neonatal
Deaths.
By H. N. Ruudesen, 373 pages with Health Department,
E. I,. 31 illustra1951.
This report covers a study under the auspices of the Chicago Health Department, which is unique in the extent and intensity of effort. It is likely to evoke a variety of reactions in the readers, depending not only on their field of activity, but also on the The results and recommendations may seem type of practice in which they are engaged. trivial to those who work at first-rate hospitals or medical schools. Yet one should realize that the majority of infants are not born at these institutions. Accordingly, much of the effort of Bundesen and co-workers has been devoted, not so much to the advancement of knowledge, as to the dissemination of existing information. This is evident from the
introduction where five points are listed: (1) if the causes of infant (leaths were known; (2) if all infants had been given “known accepted treatment aud (Bare from the Vera start”; (3) if health authorities had assumed their full share in appraising conditions and contributed to the solution of the problem; (4) if pregnant women of lower nocioeronomi17 status had taken advantage of existing facilities; and (5) if methods used in ot,her puhli~~ health activities had been utilized to make certain that these women receive antepartum (‘are-then the neonatal mortality rate could have been lowered. This has bee11 accom plished to some extent during the latter years nf the Chicago projecdl. Of particular intereat to obstetricians is a wealth of statistical information on factors operating in t,he mother, at birth, and in the infant in their relation to neonatal death. There is a study of the causes of death during the first month of life, divided among seven principal groups as follows: abnormal pulmonary ventilation, 43.7 per cent; injuries at birth, 16.6 per cent; malformations, 15.8 per cent; infections, 13.4 per cent: blood dyscrasias, 5.3 per cent; anoxia, 3.8 per cent; and miscellaneous, 1.4 per cent. To this reviewer, the figures appear to be misleading, particularly sinre they suggest that birth injury is a cause of death more than four times, and infection more than three times ai; often as anoxia. This disagreement with the experience of many ot,her authorities i? explained by the fact that some of the seven categories are cloaelp interrelated, and not mutually exclusive, It is known, for instance, that intrarranial hemfbrrhage as well as early postnatal pneumonia may be sequelae of anoxia. It is doubtful that any system as simple as that used by Bundesen and PO-workers can 110 justice to the problems involvcll in neonatal death. Two sections deal with the manner in which health oficers, in csooperation with hospitals and their staffs, can improve and properly maintain the conditions under whic*h the overwhelming majority of hahies are born. In its present, form? this report should be very useful to public health agencic-. hospital administrators, and those supervising clinical services. In addition, t,he material nn which it. is based has yielded important, scientific information in the hands of E. 1.. Potter on previous occasions, and will doubtless continue to do so. 13. (.i.
(:RIIY:NWAI,II.
Books Received .ZI;THI)II
TITJJE
&dical Progress Office Psychiatrv Anales de1 Institute de farmacologia espanola Patologia Obstetricia 11 Diritto Alla Nascita Rlood Sugar of Newhorn Infants
l+:d. Morris I~‘ishbcin I,. G. Moench
Obstetrica
Juan
Practica
1)as Inselsysten The
Scalp
Version
des Pankreas
in Health
and Disease
Josr Hotella Llusia Rel~astino Iii Franeesco Jorgfm Prdersctn Lean
Helmut
Frrnc,r
Howard
1’. Behrmau
Hlakistou (‘ompanv Year Rook Pubiishrars. In,‘. Institute de Farmacologia IGapnola, Madrid Editorial’ Cientifieo Editrice Studium, Rome Danish Science Publisher, I’rcns+ L & D, Copenhagen El Ateneo, Florida 340, 1952. Buenos Aires. 96 ills. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1952, 54 ills. The C. V. Mosby Company, St. Louis, 1952. 566 pages, 312 ills.
The* The