The LEFT Front government on Wednesday pressed the panic button following a report that 24 out of the 31 newborns who died at the medical college hospital here in April were victims of labour room infection.



Preliminary investigation found that the labour room and adjoining wards of the Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital (SAT) on the campus were infected with 'klebsiella' bacteria. The bacteria usually attacks people with weak immune systems; a common infection caused by it is pneumonia. The government has transferred the hospital superintendent, Dr. Rajmohan, and constituted a high-level inquiry into the deaths. It has also asked all medical colleges in the state to submit a report on recent neonatal deaths.

Ironically, it was the superintendent who had ordered the inquiry into the growing number of deaths of newborns in the hospital, once rated as the best government-run mother-child hospital in the south.

According to the initial reports of the microbiology department, the deaths were caused by the klebsiella bacteria, which proliferates in unhygienic conditions. Infection leads to pneumonia or meningitis, both fatal for babies. A few deaths were on account of staphylococci infection.

At least 2,000 births take place every month at the SAT hospital, the majority of them from among the economically weaker sections.

"The superintendent failed to report the serious issue to the government," State Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy said while announcing the inquiry. The minister, who made a lightening visit to the hospital, admitted that most of the equipment there was obsolete and outdated. "The situation is serious. I have already allotted Rs. 1 crore to renovate the hospital on a war-footing," he added.

The tragedy has taken on political hue with the opposition Congress and BJP demanding Sreemathy's resignation. "It is an eye-opener for the government. It cannot sit over records to say everything is rosy. Mere cosmetic changes won't do, a complete restructuring is needed to stem the rot in public health care," said health activist Dr C.R. Soman said.

Number of women present at

the time of delivery

1. The number of women who are in the place of birth are indicated by the planets who are occupying the 2nd, the 10th, 4th, 12th houses from the birth sign. The laid down principles have to be interpreted according to the conditions where they are to be interpreted. Suppose there are no planets in those houses it must not be supposed that there will be no women at the place. In Brihat Jataka. It is stated that the number of women will be determined by the number of planets who are found between the birth sign and the sign occupied by Moon.

Role of Saturn in some Houses

2. (i) If the planet in 2, 4, 10 and 12 House is Saturn the women will be Sudras, if the Sun is there they belong to Kshatriyas. If there are Rahu and Ketu they will be low caste or casteless women, and if there are other planets, the women will belong to that caste which is indicated by them.

(ii) Some writers say that the gathered women may be found out by the planets who are with the lords of 12,10, 4 and 2. If Jupiter, Mercury and Venus occupy the above houses the females will be Brahmins. If evil planets are with them, they will be Brahmins. If evil planets are with them, they will be Brahmin widows, if Rahu and Ketu are with them, the women will be Sudras. If Saturn is there, the woman will be short, dark and widow.

3. If the birth falls in a movable sign the light in the birth place would be flickering and moving, if it falls in a fixed sign the light would be steady.

4. It is stated that if Saturn occupies 2, 4, 10 or 12 and without beneficial aspects, the women gathered will belong to lower orders of society. Sudras are a class in India. But when the application is to be made to other women in other countries where there are no such caste distinctions then the astrologer must say that women of ordinary classes were assembled there. If those houses are occupied by the Sun, the women will be Kshatriyas of warrior classes. These women may be those who are the wives, daughters or other close relations of military officers. If in the above houses there are other planets, the women will belong to that class which is indicated by the planets. If Jupiter is there they will be Brahmins or those who belong to the priestly class. If Rahu or Ketu is there, the women will be from low classes, or from Sankara jati or mixed classes Here Venkatesa gives the opinions of some writers who are not much esteemed but still who have written works on Astrology.

5. Guru, Sukra and Budha (Jupiter, Venus and Mercury) there, predict Brahmin women. If they have evil conjunctions they will be Brahmin widows. If they have the conjunction of Rahu and Ketu, they will be Sudras. If Saturn is there, the woman will be short, dark and a widow.

Strength of Planets and other factors

6. We also have to consider the exaltation and other sources of strength and weakness of the planets and increase or decrease the number accordingly.

7. Movable signs, with birth sign in them, give the light unsteadiness. Steady or fixed signs make light in the birth place steady. All these have to be examined with a view to definitely settled the Lagna with greater certainty.

8. The skill, ability and intellectual reach of the astrologer must be very great and his personal experiences in dealing with horoscopes must indeed be remarkable. Desh-Pat-Kal- Kala- time, The country and Vartamana- or present circumstances must always be considered by the Astrologers.

Good health from Lagna

9. If the lord of birth is in conjunction with an evil planet, the health will suffer: the same result will happen if the lord of Lagna (Ascendant) occupies the 8th house from it. If lord of birth (Lagna Lord) is beneficially aspected, the evil results should not be predicted.

10. Lagna or Ascendant indicates the body and when its lord is joined by an evil planet the health suffers. Eighth from it is called Nasa or house of destruction or loss and if the lord of birth occupies it then also bad health must be predicted. But if there is the aspect of a benefic the evil will be absent or considerably modified. The word Nasa refers to the 12th house as well and that also signifies destruction and death. But generally Nasa refers to Mrityu Stana or the 8th house and Varahamihira and other eminent writers support this view. However, I find that if the lord of Lagna is well aspected combined and situated, the person commands good health and much personal influence.

Malefic influences on Lagna

11. If the lord of birth is in birth with lords of 6th, 8th, 12th, the body will be subjected to constant complaints. If the lord of birth is powerless, and evil planets occupy birth then the body suffers from diseases and from time to time depending on the 'Dasha' of the planet.

12. The lords of 6th, 8th and 12th are called Dusthanadhipathis or planets owing evil houses, 8th and 12th are declared to be evil, but 6th represents debt, disease and enemies and therefore its lord is also evil. If the lord of the birth sign is in the Lagna with any one of the lords of 6th, 8th or 12th houses, the body will be subjected to many diseases. If all of them join there, then the man may be an invalid. There are many unfortunates who are born as invalids and who die as such.

13. If the lord of birth is powerless, i.e., occupying unfavorable situations the person will have constant diseases. If there is an evil planet in the birth, the native will be sickly.

Judge Strength of the Lagna

14. From the above a general principle may be drawn-namely- that if the lord of birth Lagna Lord is strong and has powerful good aspects and associations the man keeps good health, but when the condition is reversed the person becomes sickly and subject to diseases.

15. If the lord of birth is weak and occupies Kendras or Trikonas, the person has bad health. If the lord of the sign occupied by the birth lord is found to be posited in the 6th, 8th or 12th house, the native normally has sickly constitution.

16. if the lord of birth is weak and occupies Kendras or 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th; or Thrikonas or 5th and 9th houses, the health of the native will be bad and the man will be sickly. If the lord of the sign occupied by the lord of birth, if found to occupy 6th, 8th or 12th houses from the Lagna, the native becomes sickly. Thus not only the lord of birth must be strong but also the lord of the house occupied by the lord of birth.

Role of Lords of Houses

17. If the lords of the signs occupied by the respective Bhavadhipathies (Significators) happen to join Dusthanas or evil houses, the evil must be predicted for all those events which are indicated by those houses. If an evil planet is in Lagna and Gulika occupies Thrikonas with any of the Kendradinathas, then there will be evil to the native.

18. Normally the, First House or Lagna indicates body, colour, dimensions, etc. Second represents speech, eyes, wealth and family. Third house indicates brothers, courage, maid-servants, etc. Fourth represents education, mother, morality and lands. Fifth shows children, intelligence and counseling power. Sixth explains debts, enemies and diseases. Seventh rules wife, passions and marriage. Eighth indicates longevity, travels, death, etc. Ninth indicates fortune, father, piety, religiousness, etc. Tenth is the house of reputation, success, influences and politics. Eleventh provides friends, popularity, elder brothers. And Twelfth rules losses, bed rooms, sin and heaven. A good and intelligent Asrologer must examine each House and its Lord including position, aspect and conjunction for better astro-analysis.