The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1927-08-25
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BY DIR. ARTHUR L. FOSTER
Copyright 1927 by the BonneBrown Corporation Chcago)
Preventing Puerperal Infection

Although puerperal infection (child
bed fever) is by no means so com
mon as it was few years back, it il
still frequent enough to make neces
sary the employment of every pos
sible measure to prevent it.
Kinds of Puerperal Fever ;.
There are two ways in which this
infection comes about.
One is the regulation blood poison
ing which is caused by the absorption
of toxins or decomposition products
of substances retained in the genita
tract (after-birth, membranes, etc.
Sometimes small tears of the uterus
vagina or perineum are the gateway
through which otherwise harmless dis.
charges get into and poison the blooc
stream.
The other, which is much more
grave, is result of the absorption Of
pathogenic (disease-producing) germs
The ones most often found in this
conditions are the (Note to reader
Skip the next five words, if you are
not well) staphylococcus, gonococcus
colon bacillus, streptococcus and
pneumococcus. The first three are not
usually serious as the infection re-
mains local. The last two are, how
ever, exceedingly dangerous as the
infection spreads throughout the body
and threatens the life of the patient
Sings of Puerperal Infection
When woman has some rise in
temperature during the first few days
after delivery it generally means in
lection in the genital tract. This fever
and general discomfort are all the dis
turbance created by the first class
of bacteria infections. But if the in
lection is caused by the streptococcus
or pneumococcus the patient becomes
decidedly septic and manifests all the
signs and symptoms of a severe
blood poisoning. And it is often not
long before the heart, lungs and kid
neys become involved in the process
When that stage is reached there is
precious little hope.
Preventive Measures
A large, raw, vascular surface is the
most favorable kind of breeding
ground for bacteria in addition to be-
ing an open door for the entrance Of
infectious matter into the blood
stream. Consequently if the woman
harbors germs in any part of hel
body, for example, in bad teeth OF
tonsils, they should be cleared W
during pregnancy.
Most women nowadays go to
hospital to be confined-which IS as
it should be. For any woman in this
enlightened and progressive age tt
expose herself to the dangers con
nected with obstetrical pradtice II
the home is unforgivable. There was
a time when women were justified II
their fear of hospital as a place II
which to give birth to their babies
But hygiene and antisepsis have for
ever done away with the dangers Of
those bygone days, days when eryslp
elias coursed it's treacherous wa!
through an obstetrical ward ant
spared not single woman's life.
Today doctors and nurses botf
know how to prepare themselves ant
everything they use so that infections
may not occur. Moreover, conscien
tious physicians now do not handle
obstetrical cases when they have pa
tients suffering from contagious
disease under their care. Neither
should nurse who is suffering witt
any infection of the nose or throa
be permitted to work on case of Thu
kind.
Familiarity breeds contempt il
ones association with germs as wei
as people. Nurses are sometimes in
clined to carelessness, because of thi
factor in human nature, in giving
douches, catheterizing the patient, AM
so on. The doctor is not very apt t.
grow careless-the responsibility o
the case rests on his shoulders alon
in the final analysis.
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