All civilised countries have laws compelling physicians to cleanse the eyes of all new-born babies with some salt of silver, in order to prevent blindness in the child. This law assumes that infection of the mother, is so prevalent that the best interests of the child are conserved by taking this precaution.
We have never had adequate means of conserving the life of mothers from infection at childbirth, although it is recognised that she is frequently previously infected in some form or other, as from gonorrhea, former septic abortions, etc.
There is no doubt in the writers mind that when the profession thoroughly understands the Duncan Method of Treatment laws will also be passed compelling physicians to employ this method of treatment, both as prophylactic and a cure from puerperal infection. For this treatment will in a large degrees conquer this infection.
The United States has the largest maternal mortality rate of any civilised nation on the globe. As stated, eight thousand homes are broken up every year by the loss of mothers who die from uncomplicated puerperal infections. In view of what the Duncan Method of Treatment offers mothers at this critical time of their lives, we now see that the loss of nearly all those mothers is needless.
It is murder to allow mothers to die when there is a means at hand that will save them. This crime becomes more heinous when we realise that each mother has the remedy designed by Nature to cure her infection within her own body and that she needs only be told of this fact in order to cure herself.
Nor should it be forgotten that two lives are often at stake. About a year ago the Rockefeller Foundation in New York City gave a large sum of money to the Queen Charlotte Hospital in London to investigate and find out, if possible, if something could be done or discovered that will reduce the worlds frightful maternal mortality rate. I trust that a copy of this article may be brought to their attention, and that it may be useful in their exhaustive studies of this important subject.
In the two case reports appended we have sought to give the technique that has been employed successfully by hundreds of physicians in all parts of the world. While it is impossible to give set rules that will fit all cases, so, in the cases given we have endeavoured to give the average dose that has been found effective.
Case I. Patient 19, primipara, was brought into the hospital, September 28th, 1912, eight days after delivery, suffering with puerperal infection. The infecting micro-organism was the streptococcus long chain. The white blood count was 18,000; temperature 104 F.; pulse 120. The prognosis was grave. The infection had extended to the peritoneum. The whole abdomen was tender and distended. Tongue white, no appetite.
Treatment. Four drops of the muco-bloody discharge from her napkin was placed in 4 oz. of tap water. She was given one teaspoonful of this every ten minutes for ten doses. Then to stop. Then a teaspoonful of the mixture three times a day for the ensuing six days. She went to sleep after the fourth dose and slept for eight hours. When she awoke her temperature was 101 F., pulse 100, and she was hungry.
No other treatment was given her for twenty-four hours, when she was given a teaspoonful of the same mixture three times a day as ordered. I omitted to state she was given an enema when admitted to the hospital. She made an uneventful recovery. This has been duplicated many times by hundreds of physicians in all parts of the world, and so far I have heard of no failures.
Case II. Patient 28, mother of two, was brought into the hospital January 10th, 1914, six days after delivery, suffering from puerperal infection. The infecting microorganism was diagnosed microscopically as a mixed staphylococcus and streptococcus. White blood count 20,000; temperature 96 F., pulse, 160; respirations 10. She was in a state bordering on coma, semi-conscious. Cold, clammy sweat covered the whole body. The discharge was foul smelling. It was difficult at this time to elicit other symptoms. Four drops of pus from her napkin was placed in 1 oz. of distilled water. This was thoroughly shaken up for ten minutes. Distilled water is the all-solvent, and the toxins from these micro-organisms are extremely soluble.
This was then passed through a germ proof (Berkfeld) filter and 1 cc. of the filtrate together with 4cc. of a physiological normal salt solution was injected subcutaneously over the biceps muscle. Within ten minutes the cold sweat was replaced by a warm glow over the entire body, her respiration had improved and she sank into a deep sleep, in which she remained for ten hours. She awoke not knowing where she was, but refreshed. Temperature was 100F., pulse 100, respiration 20, and she was hungry. On the following day she was so much improved that another treatment was not given, but forty-eight hours after the first injection she received another similar treatment. At the end of three days she was out of danger and received but two other treatments at forty- eight hour intervals.
This is the method of choice and is employed widely in the United States for these desperate conditions.
