Observations on the Caesarean section, craniotomy, and on other obstetric operations : with cases / by Thomas Radford.

Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the Caesarean section, craniotomy, and on other obstetric operations : with cases / by Thomas Radford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    47/282 (page 11)
    ON THE STATISTICS OF THE CESAREAN SECTION. The statistics of the results of the Csesarean section, especially as concerns the mothers, are highly unfavourable. The general account stands as follows of the seventy-seven women whose cases are tabulated. Sixty-six, or 85-71 per cent., died; eleven, or 14-28 per cent., were saved. The number of successful cases here mentioned is greater than is usually allowed to have taken place; and, therefore, this statement requires further explanation. They are regis- tered as follows. Nos. 1, 12, 35, 36, 37, 49, 53, 57, 67, 68, and 71; of these, Nos. 1, 12, 36, 49, 53, 67, 68, and 71, per- fectly and permanently recovered. Case No. 35—She also recovered ; the wounds being nearly healed. She lived several weeks ; but afterwards she died from epilepsy, to which malady she had been previously subject. Case No. 37—The woman recovered; and afterwards died from disease of the hip-joint. There is, however, another case included in the deaths which ought, in my opinion, to be in some measure considered as one of recovery. She lived seven days; and so long as she was rationally treated she went on favourably. But after the treatment had been injudiciously changed she gradually grew worse and died. The special statistics, or the results, of the cases in which I have been concerned are as follows. Of six women, four died, or 66'66 per cent.; and two were saved, or 33-33 per cent. From the seventy-seven women, seventy-eight infants were extracted (one being a case of twins), of which forty-six, or 58 97 per cent., were saved; and thirty-two, or 4102 per cent., were dead. Nearly all these infants were dead before the operation, which might have been saved if it had been earlier performed. The special statistics, or the number of deaths, in my prac-