Farewell To The East End

to grasp the foetal head to facilitate the delivery in a difficult labour.
    Occipital protuberance . Or occiput is the back of the baby’s head.
    Os . The opening of the cervix which leads into the womb.
    Otitis media . Inflammation or infection of the middle ear.
    Oxytocic drugs . Drugs such as Oxytocin or Ergometrine that make the muscle of the uterus contract after delivery and are used to either assist the delivery of the placenta or control bleeding after delivery of the placenta.

    Paediatrician . A doctor who specialises in the care of children.
    Peritoneum . The lining of the abdominal cavity.
    Pathology lab . Laboratory where samples of blood would be sent for confirmation of infection.
    Pethidine . A drug used for pain relief in labour.
    Perineum . The area of skin between the vagina and the anus.
    Phthisis . Tuberculosis of the lungs. No longer in scientific use.
    Pink eye . Conjunctivitis is also known as ‘pink eye’, an inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye. The conjunctiva is the membrane that covers the eye.
    Pinards . A simple trumpet-shaped stethoscope used by the midwife to listen to the baby’s heartbeat before birth.
    Pitocin . An early proprietary brand name for an oxytocic drug used for induction of labour or treatment of uterine inertia.
    Pituitrin . A hormone produced by the pituitary gland, which helps enable lactation. The hormone also stimulates contraction of the uterus and was formerly used to help to induce labour.
    Placenta . Also known as the afterbirth. The baby’s life-support system supplying the baby with oxygen and nutrients and removing waste products while he/she is growing in the womb. The placenta also produces essential hormones during the pregnancy.
    Postnatal . The time immediately following a birth when a midwife would continue to care for the mother and baby.
    Post-partum delirium . A postnatal mental condition now known as puerperal psychosis. The less severe form is called postnatal depression.
    Pouch of Douglas . A small pouch-shaped area situated behind the uterus and in front of the rectum.
    Pre-eclampsia . A disease that is peculiar to pregnancy. The symptoms are: high blood pressure, protein in the urine and oedema (swelling).
    Primigravida . A woman pregnant with her first baby.
    Prolapsed cord . Occurs after the membranes have broken and the cord is found outside the uterus.

    Restitution of the head . A normal corrective movement of the baby’s head during delivery to bring it back into natural line with the shoulders.

    Second stage . The second stage (of labour) is the time when the neck of the womb or uterus is fully open, and the mother starts to push until the delivery of the baby.
    Special diet . It was thought that a restricted diet and restricted fluid intake would improve the symptoms of pre-eclampsia. It has now been proved that these restrictions had no effect upon the course of pre-eclampsia and are no longer practised. Pre-eclampsia is treated with rest and drug therapy.
    SRN . State Registered Nurse.
    Staphylococcus aureus . A bacterium that is commonly found on human skin and mucosa (lining of mouth, nose, etc.). It lives completely harmlessly on the skin and in the nose of about one-third of normal healthy people.
    Staph infection . Staphylococcus aureus can infect wounds during or after childbirth or during surgical procedures. These infections may become serious.

    Third stage . The third stage of labour is the time from the delivery of the baby to the end of the delivery of the placenta (afterbirth) and control of bleeding.
    Transverse lie . Where the baby lies across the mother’s womb (instead of parallel to the mother’s spine) and so cannot descend through the pelvis for a normal birth.

    Unstriped muscle . An outdated term for smooth muscle.

    Volsellum forceps . Forceps designed to hold the cervix during gynaecological procedures.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Sources for the ‘Lost Babies’ chapter
    Booth, Charles, ‘The Life and Labour of the People of London’’ vols. I-IX, The Journals of the Royal Statistical Society , 1887.
    Booth, General William, In Darkest England , 1890.
    Fishman, Professor W. J., East End 1888 , Duckworth, 1988 .
    Fishman, Professor W. J., The Streets of East London , Duckworth, 1979.
    Jordan, Jane, Josephine Butler , John Murray, 2000.
    Keating, P., ed., Into Unknown England 1866-1913 , Fontana, 1976.
    Mearns, Andrew and Preston, William, The Bitter Cry of Outcast London , 1883.
    William, A. E., Barnardo