London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chelsea 1938
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1938
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PUERPERAL FEVER AND PUERPERAL PYREXIA.
One case of Puerperal Fever and seven cases of Puerperal Pyrexia
were notified during the year. Details of these cases are set out in the
following table:—
TABLE No. 46.
| Total number of cases notified. | Treatment in Hospital. | District Nurses in attendance | Council's Obstetrician called in. | Deaths. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerperal Fever | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
The notifications of puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia during the past two years were as follows:—
| Puerperal Fever. | Puerperal Pyrexia. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 1 | 7 |
| 1938 | 1 | 7 |
With the sanction ot the Ministry of Health the Borough Council
has made arrangements for the services of a skilled obstetric consultant
in puerperal cases and in cases of difficult labour, when desired by
the medical practitioner in attendance. No case required consultation
during the year. Arrangements have also been made for the utilization
of the emergency obstetrical service of the London County Council.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Under the Public Health (Ophthalmia Neonatorum) Regulations, 1926,
the duty of notifying a case of Ophthalmia Neonatorum is placed solely
upon the medical practitioner in attendance. This disease is defined as
a purulent discharge from the eyes of an infant, commencing within
twenty-one days from the date of its birth.
Three cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified during the year.
As required by the Ministry of Health, particulars of the notified cases
are set out in the following table:—
TABLE No. 47. Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
| Cases. | Vision Unimpaired. | Vision Impaired. | Total Blindness. | Left District. | Deaths. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. Notified. | Treated. | ||||||
| At Home. | In Hospital. | ||||||
| 3 | - | 3 | 1 | — | - | 2 | - |
Four cases of the disease were notified in the previous year.