Evening star., 1939-03-12
Operative Program
Reduces Ga||inger
Maternity Cases
Mortality Rote Shows
40 Per Cent Drop for
Six-Month Period

Fifty per cent more space would
have been necessary for the care of
patients in the obstetrical division
at Gallinger Hospital without devel-
opment of cooperative arrange
ments, including the home delivery
service y Health Department officials
said yesterday
DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger. assistant
health officer in charge of the
Bureau of Hospitals, released a
statement by DR.. John Parks, chief
resident physician in charge OF
obstetrics and gynecology, reporting
40 per cent drop in maternal
mortality at Gallinger in the last six
months OF the past year as compared
with the first six months.
DR.. Seckinger placed the estimated
cost of caring for mother and
baby at S36.
This was one of the series of press
releases from the Health Depart
ment detailing improvement at Gal
llnger since the appointment of the
five new full time chief resident
physicians last July l.
DR.. Seckinger reiterated that it is
estimated the development of the
home delivery service" and other
cooperative measures had saved the
District some $1,000 during the past
year. He said there was a reduc-
ton of 470 in the number of child
births at Gallinger in 1888 as COM
pared with the expected number
based on the years 1884 through
1887.
$4,000 Saving Estimated.
The estimated saving of $1,000
he found, resulted from multiplying
this figure by 470, the estimated re-
duction in the number of cases.
DR.. Parks reported that during
the past year 1888 patients were
admitted to the obstetrical ward
Out of 976 admitted during the first
six months Of 1888. eight mothers
died. giving maternal mortality
of .82 per cent. During the second
six months of the year, he con-
tinued. 1,0l2 patients were admitted
Only five of these mothers died, he
said. showing a reduction of 40 per
cent. He added that a good share
of the complicated obstelrical cases
are referred to Gallinger, particu-
larly since the development of the
home delivery service.
Without the co-ordinated activi-
ties of the Health Department, the
medical schools, the home delivery
service, public health nurses and the
visiting nurses. Gallinger's obstetri-
cal ward would have expanded into
every hallway and corner in which
a bed could be placed" DR.. Parks
said.
Wards Still Crowded.
"In fact. so per cent more space
would have been necessary to keer
the patients at all.
Since July, 1888, many homes
have been investigated by the visit
ing nurses. If the home is suitable
and If the patient and her baby are
progressing satisfactorily, they are
sent home by the Health Depart
ment ambulance on the fifth or
sixth day after delivery. Regardless
OF the efforts to reduce the number
and duration of the stay of OBJ
stetrical patients, the wards and
nurseries remain, at times, some
what crowded"
DR.. Parks declared that by far the
biggest, and in many respects the
most difficult problem in the division
of gynecology was that of patients
upon whom criminal operations hao
been attempted or who were mis-
carriage cases. More than one fourth
of the admissions to this division
he said. had some form of these
problems
He said that of the 23O cases in
volving these types of problems
treated between last July l ano
March l, about 80 per cent had hac
criminal operations. More thar
third of the 230 cases were white
patients, he added.