View report page

21
were defective, but only one faulty drain was found; other minor
sanitary defects obtained in thirty-five instances.
TYPHUS FEVER.
Two cases were notified but only one was true typhus. The
patient was a man aged nineteen years, who resided at Cookham
Buildings, Boundary Street. On April 4th he was notified as
suffering from enteric fever and was removed to Homerton.
Here Dr. Goodall diagnosed the case as one of typhus fever and
certified accordingly. The patient was a single man lodger who
took no meals at home and with respect to whom no history
could be obtained. He ultimately recovered and was discharged
from the hospital on May 4th.
The other notified case turned out to be small pox and is
referred to under that heading.
DISEASES OF PARTURITION.
Five women were reported to be suffering from puerperal
fever, but only one death was registered from this cause.
Each case was the subject of careful investigation ; the medical
attendant was also, by desire of the Medical Officer to the
Loudon County Council, invited to furnish certain particulars on
a printed form as to the nature of the labour, etc. These
particulars, when obtained, together with any others that I was
able to elicit, were forwarded to Mr. Shirley Murphy; and I
take this opportunity of thanking those medical gentlemen who
so kindly tilled up these somewhat inquisitorial forms without
protest.
In three instances I considered it necessary to temporarily
suspend the midwife in attendance.
The Midwives Act of 1902 came into operation on the 1st of
April, 1903. The new Act proposes to improve the training of
midwives, and to exercise a certain amount of control over their
practice, under the direction of a central midwives board. So far