Henry Jellett

Henry Jellett (1872–1948) was an eminent Irish gynaecologist, and author.

Jellet was born at Killinardrish, County Cork, Ireland on the 29 May 1872. from 1889 until his death in 1901. Jellett was educated at Trinity College Dublin, where he was later Professor of Midwifery.

After threats to his life from the Irish Republican Army He was appointed to address the issue of maternal mortality.

At a time in the 1920s when maternity care was the purview of midwives Jellett's view was that normal births could be attended by midwives without a doctor in attendance. He published proposals for midwifery services for normal births without doctors which was not the prevailing view of the New Zealand Obstetrical Society which believed births should be attended by a doctor and midwife or doctor and maternity nurse. Jellett's support for better training was because he believed there was too great a risk of caesarian sections being performed to compensate for poor obstetrical training and experience.

Jellett was charged with dangerous driving in 1926 after knocking down a cyclist but the case against him was dismissed. He died in Christchurch on 8 June 1948.

Publications

A Short Practice of Midwifery (1903) A Practice of Gynæcology (1916) The Causes and Prevention of Maternal Mortality (1929) The Nursing Home Murder (novel with Ngaio Marsh 1935) A Short Practice of Midwifery for Nurses (1937) Wisha, God Help Us! (play 1941)