Annual report of the Department of Public Health / Union of South Africa.

  • South Africa. Department of Health.
Date:
[1943]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Department of Public Health / Union of South Africa. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/24 (page 16)
    Table 29.—Europeans Deaths from Puerperal Causes by Age Groups. 1941. 1942. Causes. All Ages. 15-19. 20-24. 25-29. 30-34. 35-39. 40-44. 45 and Over. All Ages. 15-19. 20-24. 25-29. 30-34. 35-39. 40-44. 45 a Ovc / Post Abortive Infection. Spontaneous, Therapeutic or of Unspecified Origin. 10 3 1 f 4 1 1 12 1 5 2 2 2 Abortion induced for reasons other than Therapeutic. 2 — — — — 2 — — 6 1 1 3 — — 1 - Abortion without mention of Septic Condition. Spontaneous, Therapeutic or of Unspecified Origin. 4 1 1 2 4 3 1 Abortion induced for reasons other than Therapeutic. 3 - — 1 i 1 — — 2 — 1 — — 1 — - Haemorrhage and Diseases of Pregnancy. Ectopic gestation. 11 4 i 5 1 7 1 1 1 3 1 Haemorrhage from Placenta Praevia. — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — 1 — —1 Haemorrhage from Premature separation of Placenta and other accidental haemorrhage (except Abortion). 1 _ _ 1 _ Other and unspecified haemorrhage. — — — — — — — — 3 — — 1 1 1 — —! Eclampsia. 3 1 — — 2 — — — 11 -- 2 3 3 3 — —• Albuminuria and Nephritis. 8 3 — 1 3 1 — — 2 — — 1 — 1 — —i Acute Yellow Atrophy of the Liver. 1 — — — — — 1 — 1 — 1 — — — — —1 Other Toxaemias. 6 — 2 — 2 1 1 — 5 — 1 i 2 i — — Other diseases and accidents. 1 1 3 i i i Haemorrhage and Diseases of Childbirth and the Puerperium. Haemorrhage from Placenta Praevia. 2 1 1 Haemorrhage from Premature separation of Placenta. — Other haemorrhages during childbirth. 1 — — — — — — 1 1 — — 1 — — — — Other haemorrhages after childbirth. 20 — 2 5 5 7 1 — 20 2 2 8 5 2 1 — General or local puerperal infection (including puerperal tetanus) with or without mention of Pyelitis. 28 3 7 7 7 2 2 36 5 4 5 8 7 6 3 Thrombo Phlebitis. 3 1 — I 1 — — — 2 — — — 1 1 — ~ Embolism and sudden death. 3 — 2 — — — i — 4 — — 1 1 1 — Eclampsia. 8 — 2 2 1 2 i — 4 1 2 1 — — — Albuminuria and Nephritis. 1 — — — — 1 — — 1 — •- 1 — — — — Acute Yellow Atrophy of the Liver. 1 — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — Other Toxaemias. 6 26 6 — Other Accidents. 18 — 3 3 5 i — 1 1 7 7 4 — Other or unspecified diseases. 2 — — 1 — — i — 7 — — 1 2 1 2 * Total. 136 8 22 29 33 32 ii 1 159 11 21 41 33 32 17 < 1 7. Nursing and Maternity Homes. Tables 30 to 33 show the number of nursing and maternity homes registered with the Department, the amount of accommodation, the number of staff and the number of inspections carried out. Of the 49 new registrations during the year all except two homes had properly qualified people in charge. These two consisted of a maternity home for non-Europeans which was registered with an untrained person in charge and a general nursing home for chronic sick patients which was registered with a midwife in charge. This is a great improvement on previous years when many nursing and maternity homes were registered with inadequately qualified persons in charge. It is unsatisfactory that the Department finds it necessary to register any nursing homes under the charge of unqualified persons. This matter was discussed in the annual report for the year ended June, 1941. Since that time some improvement has been brought about and the present position is as follows : — (i) There are 15 maternity homes run by unregistered persons and 5 of these also admit general 'cases. In 1941 there were 16 maternity homes so run, 8 of which admitted general cases. (ii) There are 28 nursing homes in charge of midwives but which admit general cases. Most of these homes also admit maternity cases. In 1941 there jvere 47 in this position. (iii) There are 12 nursing homes run by nurses with only medical and surgical qualifications but which admit maternity cases. Most of these homes also admit general cases. In 1941 there were 14 such homes. Table 30.—Nursing and Maternity Homes Inspected duri> the Years ended 30th June, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, ISk AND 1943, RESPECTIVELY. Place Inspections. By Officers of Local Authority. By Departmental Officers. • 1938 1939 1940 1941 jl942 1943 1938 1939| 1 1940 1941 1942 is: Cape Province. Cape Town. 11 27 22 23 28 23 cjj East London.... 6 7 4 8 6 6 — — 2 3 — Port Elizabeth... 5 5 4 5 5 4 2 — — — — 4 Elsewhere. — — 1 2 1 — 35 73 57 65 47 ? Natal Province. Durban. 18 17 11 16 12 10 1 Pietermaritzburg.. 3 — — 2 2 6 — — — — — Elsewhere. — — — — — 11 27 15 15 27 16 Transvaal Province. Johannesburg.... 43 36 28 27 6 33 4 H Other Hand L.A.’s 9 6 14 10 12 7 4 — — — 6 Pretoria. 7 5 7 7 3 5 — — 1 2 3 Elsewhere. — — 1 — — — 54 40 34 28 39 C Orange Free State. Bloemfontein. 5 4 4 3 Elsewhere. — — — — — 2 25 36 19 26 24 « Union. 102 103 92 100 75 107 157 168 132 151 138 D Unfortunately the acute shortage of trained nurses has led to a decrease in the total number of trained nursing staff employed in a number of nursing homes. There is, however, evidence of a gradual improvement in the general standard of nursing homes. Table 31.—Nursing Homes Registered with the Department. Year. Cape. Transvaal. Natal. Orange Free State. Total. As at 30/6/1929... 104 90 43 26 ?63 As at 30/6/1930... 124 91 54 29 298 As at 30/6/1931... 110 98' 51 25 284 As at 30/6/1932... 95 94 44 26 259 As at 30/6/1933... 105 100 46 25 276 As at 30/6/1934... 115 103 43 28 289 As at 30/6/1935... 126 128 42 28 324 As at 30/6/1936... 120 116 46 34 316 As at 30/6/1937... 134 120 49 35 338 As at 30/6/1938... 140 126 55 65 376 As at 30/6/1939... 147 124 61 48 380 As at 30/6/1940... 146 125 62 52 385 As at 30/6/1941... 145 123 60 53 381 As at 30/6/1942... 140 123 57 45 365 As at 30/6/1943... 146 119 55 53 373 Table 32.—Bed Accommodation Available in Nursing Homes. Province. 1940. 1941. 1942. 1943. Euro¬ pean. Non- Euro¬ pean. Euro¬ pean. Non- Euro¬ pean. Euro¬ pean. Non- Euro¬ pean. Euro¬ pean. No Eui pea Cape. 1,340 231 1,327 221 1,307 318 1,319 4£ Transvaal. 3,277 194 1,569 197 1,632 222 1,495 3( Natal. 655 615 982 924 696 990 773 91 Orange Free State.. 187 3 223 13 232 19 250 3 Total. 3,459 1,043 4,101 1,355 3,867 1,549 3,837 1,6£