TROPICAL OBSTETRICAL PROBLEMS + 
By FERNANDO CALDERON 
(From the Department of Obstetrics, College of Medicine and Surgery, 
University of the Philippines) 
There is not the slightest doubt that since the American occu- 
pation of these Islands in 1899 much progress has been made in 
this country in the different branches of medicine. 
If we confine our consideration to obstetrics, the advance in 
this branch of medical science is still more remarkable. In 
the past, obstetrical teaching in this country consisted merely 
in didactic lectures, sometimes demonstrations on the manikin, 
and of two or three cases of labor during the school year, and 
it frequently happened that the students were graduated without 
having seen a single obstetrical case. Owing to these circum- 
stances many physicians, when called upon to attend an obstet- 
rical case, were very much afraid to meet any complication 
that might arise during labor, and when a physician whose 
inclinations were for obstetrics wanted to develop his knowledge 
in order to be a specialist in this line, he had to go abroad, as 
there were no facilities here for special work. 
In July, 1907, the College of Medicine and Surgery was es- 
tablished with its obstetrical department in the city of Manila. 
At first the obstetrical clinics were held provisionally in a small 
room in Saint Paul’s Hospital with only four beds, and two 
municipal physicians were appointed to attend outside obstetrical 
cases. At that time we had very few patients, the majority 
of whom were outside cases, because, in general, the Filipino 
women were opposed to entering the hospital, their habits and 
customs being to deliver in their own houses, and also, because 
they were imbued with many superstitions and were accustomed 
to their own practices. I think it will not be out of place in this 
connection to present a list of superstitions relating to obstetrics, 
which I have carefully collected from the ignorant classes of our 
people. 
BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD 
DURING PREGNANCY 
During pregnancy it is believed that the asuang has a great 
influence upon the pregnant woman. The asuang is supposed 
1 Read before the Manila Medical Society, March 1, 1915. Received for 
publication March 5, 1915. 
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