View report page

42
Puerperal Fever. Six cases of this disease were notified
during the year, 4 being in East Greenwich, and 1 each in West
Greenwich and St. Nicholas. Two of the cases were treated in
hospital.
There were 4 deaths from this disease during the year, 2
being in East Greenwich, and 1 each in West Greenwich and St.
Nicholas.
The two fatalities in East Greenwich appeared, unfortunately,
to have a common origin, one of the midwives practising in this
neighbourhood being in attendance upon a patient suffering from
this disease, and, apparently, having carried the disease unwittingly
to others of her patients. During the time that elapsed between
the midwife's attendance upon the first puerperal patient and the
time the medical man who diagnosed the actual condition from
which the patient was suffering was called in to that patient, the
midwife concerned attended some 20 other cases, 3 of whom contracted
Puerperal Fever, 2 with fatal results. The Coroner for this
district deemed it advisable to hold inquests in these two fatal
cases, and cautioned the midwife as to her future conduct. The
house and clothing of the midwife were thoroughly disinfected.
She was required by your Medical Officer to discontinue her
practice for a time, and, in fact, went entirely away from the
district for a period, and no further similar cases have occurred in
connection with her practice.
In one other case the patient was attended by a midwife who
likewise was required to have her clothing thoroughly disinfected
and cleansed, and to discontinue her work for a period of two
weeks.