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The historical literature on maternal death gives little attention to the problem in Scotland. Data in a popular, yet serious, national publication for 1739–1772 suggest that there was some public interest in the problem of maternal mortality. This interest may have been associated with the democratization of many forms of knowledge, central to the Scottish Enlightenment. The publication of these data is linked to the little-known, but ground-breaking, work of Alexander Gordon on puerperal fever in Aberdeen, which long predated the study by Ignaz Semmelweis. This 18th-century publication is compared with the popular media of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It may often be assumed that, historically, women's awareness of the possibility of maternal or 'childbed' death made them fearful of childbirth. This paper considers, in historical terms, the perceptions of the childbearing woman in relation to maternal death, especially when approaching labour. It addresses and counters the view that has been advanced suggesting that the possibility of maternal death was not significant to the childbearing woman in the early modern period. To address the neglect of this topic in the literature on Scotland, the argument will be supported by documentary evidence from Scottish sources. This evidence shows that childbearing women responded to these anxieties by making appropriate preparations for labour, birth and the postnatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reductions in emergency psychiatric presentations to hospital occurred during and after the finals of the World Cup football competitions, an effect evident in women as well as men, and more marked among the mentally ill than those who were not. Increases in the numbers of schizophrenic and neurotic men presenting before, and alcoholic men during, the competitions can be attributed to the football. The generalised reductions during and after could reflect an indirect effect upon help-seeking, although actual relapse rates of mental illnesses might be affected. These changes could arise from enhancement of national identity and cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares the hospital based practice with general practice in lithium prescription and monitoring in Edinburgh, Scotland. Utilization of prospective study of doctors practice; Stabilization of patients taking lithium; Prescription of lithium by general practitioners than hospital doctors; Variation of care and stringency of lithium among doctors.

The proportion of manic-depressive patients readmitted within three months of an index episode was the same irrespective of lithium prescription. The data supports the view that short-term lithium prescription is ineffective, and because of the possibility of difficulties when it is withdrawn, it is suggested that lithium be reserved for long-term prophylaxis.

Admissions for mania have risen significantly in Edinburgh since 1970. Differencing was used to remove time trends; this showed that the rise was not accounted for by diagnosis change (from schizophrenia or personality disorder) or by lithium prescription. The contribution of non-specific factors such as admission policy and the experience of trainee psychiatrists deserves evaluation. If this rise continues there will be significant resource implications for the future.

Seventy patients satisfying DSM-III and Research Diagnostic Criteria for major depression were given a salivary cortisol dexamethasone suppression test, with samples collected at 0700 h, 1500 h and 2300 h after dexamethasone. The patients were classified as nonsuppressors (mean post-dexamethasone salivary cortisol concentration greater than or equal to 2.0 ng/ml, N = 27) and suppressors (mean post-dexamethasone salivary cortisol concentration less than 2.0 ng/ml, N = 43). At 3-yr follow-up there was no difference in illness outcome as assessed by the life table method or by the length of rehospitalisation for several periods after the index episode. In multiple regression and discriminant function analyses, with outcome as the dependent variable (readmitted within 1 yr, readmitted between 1 and 3 yr, not readmitted), the mean post-dexamethasone salivary cortisol concentration was not significantly predictive of outcome.

The efficacy of lithium prophylaxis in bipolar affective disorder in clinical practice was investigated. Comparison was made between 41 patients who were prescribed prophylactic lithium after two admissions in two years or three admissions in five years and a group of patients who did not receive lithium. The benefits conferred by the prescription of this drug were modest compared with the results from clinical trials.