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Revelation of Childbirth: the Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth
P U B L I C H E A L T H , December, 1943
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but I think we should aim at having the. laboratory facilities open to the practitioner to use if he so desires. Dr. R. A. O'BmEN (Beekenham) : I have wondered for many years what happened in the days before antitoxin. How did a person ever cure himself of diphtheria ? So far as I can see, the obvious answer is that he produced a lot of antitoxin himself. The question can never now be solved, because if people think their child is suffering from diphtheria they don't dare leave it without ~intitoxin. I have always regretted that, owing to the death of my colleague, we never published a work that we did at Cambridge Hospital some years ago. Vqe were rather baffled because many of the children who recovered -from diphtheria Were Schick positive. We thought they ought to be Schick negative. But we had, fortunately, a small group like the ones mentioned by Dr. Leete. They used not to give antitoxin to very mild cases and some of these mild cases were undoubtedly true diphtheria. Speaking from memory, I think in every case of that kind not treated with antitoxin, where we bad the opportunity of getting estimations at a later date, we found that the curve shot away up. So, presumably, they did the obvious thing and made a quantity of antitoxin themselves. So that in this doubtful field of immunised children getting diphtheria, if we dared to leave these children without antitoxin we would get the answer to the question, but of course there is the obvious risk in doing it and we dare not "do it.
BOOK R E V I E W Revelation of Childbirth: the Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth. By GRANTI.Y DICK READ. L o n d o n : Heinemann.
t942.
262 pp.
P r i c e 21s. net.
Nearly t e n years after his book on Natural Childbirth, D r . Dick R e a d has elaborated his teaching in this p r e s e n t volume, w h i c h s h o u l d be read by all c o n c e r n e d in t h e c o n d u c t o f obstetrics. T h e thesis p u t forwaud is t h a t u n c o m p l i c a t e d c h i l d b i r t h is a n o r m a l a n d physiological process and h e n c e s h o u l d n o t cause pain. T h e n e u r o - m u s c u l a r m e c h a n i s m by w h i c h t h e u t e r u s expels its c o n t e n t s is similar in essentials to t h a t o f o t h e r hollow viscera, a n d D r . Dick R e a d claims t h a t c h i l d b i r t h s h o u l d fail into line w i t h the rest a n d b e c o m e a painless function. H e is f u r t h e r c o n v i n c e d o n clinical e v i d e n c e that t h e n o r m a l s e n s e of reJief a n d increased physical wellb e i n g after any e x c r e t o r y act is h e i g h t e n e d in the case of the uterus into ecstasy. I t is a difficult task to o v e r c o m e the i n h i b i t i o n s and taboos w h i c h have b e c o m e e s t a b l i s h e d during the course of s o m e two h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d years. Pain a n d labour have b e e n r e g a r d e d as s y n o n y m o u s in c h i l d b i r t h , and labour in any s e n s e has had a tenden
OBITUARY EDWARD HENRY ALLON PASK, M.D. We regret to record that Dr. E. I-I. Allon Pask, medical superintendent of the Wrightington Hospital and a consultant tuberculosis officer of the Lancashire County Council, died on October 4th, at his residence on the hospital estate. Edward Henry Allon Pask was born at Worksop in 1884. He qualified M.B., Ch.B., Sheffield University in 1908, and took his M.D. and B.S., London, in 1912. After 15 months of house appointments at the Sheffield Royal Infirmal~- he undertook some private practice and entered the Colonial Service, being posted to Nyassaland, where medicine was tempered with big game shooting. He returned to the Sheffield Royal Infirmary and became senior house-physician and resident surgical officer. After acting as assistant medical superintendent of North St. Paneras Infirmary, he entered the tuberculosis service as assistant to the late Dr. Dixon at the Birmingham Tuberculosis Dispensary and Yardley Road Sanatorium. This was the period of " mass " inoculation of tuberculin, just when, or before, the National Health Insurance Act came into force. Later he became medical superintendent of the Salterley Grange Sanatorium, near Cheltenham, where his Chairman was Neville Chmuberlain. In 1913 he'joined the Lancashire C.C. and undertook dispensary work till the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Forces ; returning in 1916 to become the first medical superintendent of the newly built High Carley Sanatorium, near Ulverston. In 1931 he was'promoted to the newly built Wrightington Hospital for non-pulmonary tuberculosis (226 beds), and his responsibilities here were much increased during the present war. He was also responsible for the dispensary work in the surrounding Wigan County Area. In 1930 he went to Canada and the United States with a party of British tuberculosis officers. He also undertook, at the request of tile Ministry of Health, an investigation in Germany into the merits of Gerson's salt-free diet. He was an outstanding example of the first-rate administrator combined with first-rate clinical ability. Urbane, thorough, and most competent, he earned the confidence, respect, and affection of his medical colleagues. He enjoyed golf and gardening. He leaves a widow. Cremation took place at Anfield, Liverpool, on October 7th, 1943, when as man3, of his medical colleagues as war-time conditions permitted paid their last respects. W. BURTON V~rOOD, M.D., F.R.C.P., D~P.H. We regret to announce that Dr. W. Burton Wood died on November 2nd at Shalford, near Braintree. Wilfrid Burton Wood was the son of a Manchester merchant. He attended the Leys School and later Jesus College, Cambridge. He qualified M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. in 1908, took the B.Ch. in 1910 and the M.B. in 1912, and proceeded to the M.D. in 1913. He qualified M.R.C.P. in 1923 and was elected a Fellow in 1940. After service in the Middle East during the last war, Dr. Wood began his public health career in the Tilbury Dock area as Tuberculosis Officer. He quickly showed his great interest in the subject of tuberculosis, and was untiring in helping his patients. When the part-tin-~e Medical Officer of Health retired he was asked to undertake the duties of M.O.H. He spent most of his spare time at week-ends and holidays in doing voluntary work at the London Chest Hospital. When he took his M.R.C.P. he was put on the honorary staff there. In 1926 he entered private practice as a consultant in London. He was also appointed Senior Clinical Tuberculosis Officer to the Essex C.C. Dr. Wood wrote many articles on various aspects of chest disease, particularly in children and adolescents, and his profound knowledge of radiographic pictures of the lungs often provoked much valuable discussion. He has undoubtedly been the spearhead of the. antituberculosis campaign in Essex during the last twenty years, and his passLng wiU leave a gap extremely difficult to fill. Burton Wood had a remarkable command of the English language. He was a great bookworm, and as a lecturer he was outstanding. He had a pretty turn of sarcasm and did not suffer fools gladly, rn particular he had a horror and contempt of humbug, and never feared to express his own opinions, usually in a forthright manner and always to the benefit of those with whom he came in contact. He was a most delightful colleague. In 1929 he married Miss Boston, of Southport, by whom he had a son and two daughters. Our deepest sympathy goes out to them in their loss. GEORGE HAMER LEIGH, M.D., D.P.H. We regret to record that Dr, G. H. Leigh, ex-consultant tuberculosis officer of the Lancashire County Council, died on Nov. 12th in Lancaster. Dr. George Hamer Leigh was born in 1876, qualified M.B., Ch.B., Manchester University, in 1911, and later took his M.D. and D.P.H. After several house appointments he undertook private
33
but I think we should aim at having the. laboratory facilities open to the practitioner to use if he so desires. Dr. R. A. O'BmEN (Beekenham) : I have wondered for many years what happened in the days before antitoxin. How did a person ever cure himself of diphtheria ? So far as I can see, the obvious answer is that he produced a lot of antitoxin himself. The question can never now be solved, because if people think their child is suffering from diphtheria they don't dare leave it without ~intitoxin. I have always regretted that, owing to the death of my colleague, we never published a work that we did at Cambridge Hospital some years ago. Vqe were rather baffled because many of the children who recovered -from diphtheria Were Schick positive. We thought they ought to be Schick negative. But we had, fortunately, a small group like the ones mentioned by Dr. Leete. They used not to give antitoxin to very mild cases and some of these mild cases were undoubtedly true diphtheria. Speaking from memory, I think in every case of that kind not treated with antitoxin, where we bad the opportunity of getting estimations at a later date, we found that the curve shot away up. So, presumably, they did the obvious thing and made a quantity of antitoxin themselves. So that in this doubtful field of immunised children getting diphtheria, if we dared to leave these children without antitoxin we would get the answer to the question, but of course there is the obvious risk in doing it and we dare not "do it.
BOOK R E V I E W Revelation of Childbirth: the Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth. By GRANTI.Y DICK READ. L o n d o n : Heinemann.
t942.
262 pp.
P r i c e 21s. net.
Nearly t e n years after his book on Natural Childbirth, D r . Dick R e a d has elaborated his teaching in this p r e s e n t volume, w h i c h s h o u l d be read by all c o n c e r n e d in t h e c o n d u c t o f obstetrics. T h e thesis p u t forwaud is t h a t u n c o m p l i c a t e d c h i l d b i r t h is a n o r m a l a n d physiological process and h e n c e s h o u l d n o t cause pain. T h e n e u r o - m u s c u l a r m e c h a n i s m by w h i c h t h e u t e r u s expels its c o n t e n t s is similar in essentials to t h a t o f o t h e r hollow viscera, a n d D r . Dick R e a d claims t h a t c h i l d b i r t h s h o u l d fail into line w i t h the rest a n d b e c o m e a painless function. H e is f u r t h e r c o n v i n c e d o n clinical e v i d e n c e that t h e n o r m a l s e n s e of reJief a n d increased physical wellb e i n g after any e x c r e t o r y act is h e i g h t e n e d in the case of the uterus into ecstasy. I t is a difficult task to o v e r c o m e the i n h i b i t i o n s and taboos w h i c h have b e c o m e e s t a b l i s h e d during the course of s o m e two h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d years. Pain a n d labour have b e e n r e g a r d e d as s y n o n y m o u s in c h i l d b i r t h , and labour in any s e n s e has had a tenden
OBITUARY EDWARD HENRY ALLON PASK, M.D. We regret to record that Dr. E. I-I. Allon Pask, medical superintendent of the Wrightington Hospital and a consultant tuberculosis officer of the Lancashire County Council, died on October 4th, at his residence on the hospital estate. Edward Henry Allon Pask was born at Worksop in 1884. He qualified M.B., Ch.B., Sheffield University in 1908, and took his M.D. and B.S., London, in 1912. After 15 months of house appointments at the Sheffield Royal Infirmal~- he undertook some private practice and entered the Colonial Service, being posted to Nyassaland, where medicine was tempered with big game shooting. He returned to the Sheffield Royal Infirmary and became senior house-physician and resident surgical officer. After acting as assistant medical superintendent of North St. Paneras Infirmary, he entered the tuberculosis service as assistant to the late Dr. Dixon at the Birmingham Tuberculosis Dispensary and Yardley Road Sanatorium. This was the period of " mass " inoculation of tuberculin, just when, or before, the National Health Insurance Act came into force. Later he became medical superintendent of the Salterley Grange Sanatorium, near Cheltenham, where his Chairman was Neville Chmuberlain. In 1913 he'joined the Lancashire C.C. and undertook dispensary work till the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Forces ; returning in 1916 to become the first medical superintendent of the newly built High Carley Sanatorium, near Ulverston. In 1931 he was'promoted to the newly built Wrightington Hospital for non-pulmonary tuberculosis (226 beds), and his responsibilities here were much increased during the present war. He was also responsible for the dispensary work in the surrounding Wigan County Area. In 1930 he went to Canada and the United States with a party of British tuberculosis officers. He also undertook, at the request of tile Ministry of Health, an investigation in Germany into the merits of Gerson's salt-free diet. He was an outstanding example of the first-rate administrator combined with first-rate clinical ability. Urbane, thorough, and most competent, he earned the confidence, respect, and affection of his medical colleagues. He enjoyed golf and gardening. He leaves a widow. Cremation took place at Anfield, Liverpool, on October 7th, 1943, when as man3, of his medical colleagues as war-time conditions permitted paid their last respects. W. BURTON V~rOOD, M.D., F.R.C.P., D~P.H. We regret to announce that Dr. W. Burton Wood died on November 2nd at Shalford, near Braintree. Wilfrid Burton Wood was the son of a Manchester merchant. He attended the Leys School and later Jesus College, Cambridge. He qualified M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. in 1908, took the B.Ch. in 1910 and the M.B. in 1912, and proceeded to the M.D. in 1913. He qualified M.R.C.P. in 1923 and was elected a Fellow in 1940. After service in the Middle East during the last war, Dr. Wood began his public health career in the Tilbury Dock area as Tuberculosis Officer. He quickly showed his great interest in the subject of tuberculosis, and was untiring in helping his patients. When the part-tin-~e Medical Officer of Health retired he was asked to undertake the duties of M.O.H. He spent most of his spare time at week-ends and holidays in doing voluntary work at the London Chest Hospital. When he took his M.R.C.P. he was put on the honorary staff there. In 1926 he entered private practice as a consultant in London. He was also appointed Senior Clinical Tuberculosis Officer to the Essex C.C. Dr. Wood wrote many articles on various aspects of chest disease, particularly in children and adolescents, and his profound knowledge of radiographic pictures of the lungs often provoked much valuable discussion. He has undoubtedly been the spearhead of the. antituberculosis campaign in Essex during the last twenty years, and his passLng wiU leave a gap extremely difficult to fill. Burton Wood had a remarkable command of the English language. He was a great bookworm, and as a lecturer he was outstanding. He had a pretty turn of sarcasm and did not suffer fools gladly, rn particular he had a horror and contempt of humbug, and never feared to express his own opinions, usually in a forthright manner and always to the benefit of those with whom he came in contact. He was a most delightful colleague. In 1929 he married Miss Boston, of Southport, by whom he had a son and two daughters. Our deepest sympathy goes out to them in their loss. GEORGE HAMER LEIGH, M.D., D.P.H. We regret to record that Dr, G. H. Leigh, ex-consultant tuberculosis officer of the Lancashire County Council, died on Nov. 12th in Lancaster. Dr. George Hamer Leigh was born in 1876, qualified M.B., Ch.B., Manchester University, in 1911, and later took his M.D. and D.P.H. After several house appointments he undertook private