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Nineteen cases, or 70.3 per cent. of the total were removed
to hospital, compared with 8o.3 per cent, in 1904, and 69.4 per
cent. in 1903.
In 2 instances the infection was found to have been
derived from a previous case of the disease in the Borough,
and in 4 other cases the patient was infected outside Battersea.
One of these patients was infected in Lincoln during the
epidemic in that city. In 5 other cases there were reasons for
suspecting shell-fish as carrying the infection.
The number of houses invaded by the disease was 25. In
4 houses the drainage was found to be defective, and in 10
houses defects other than drainage defects were found to
exist. Facilities for bacteriological diagnosis are supplied
gratis by the Council to all medical practitioners in Battersea.
Each practitioner is supplied with an outfit containing
appliances for taking a specimen of blood for examination by
the Widal test. The practitioner is apprised of the result of
the examination by telegram, and the outfit is returned re-filled.
Thirty-one doubtful cases were examined, with a positive result
in 7, and a negative result in 24 cases.
Puerperal Fever.
The number of cases notified was 16, that number being
10 above the decennial average. Eight cases were notified in
1904 and 7 cases in 1903. The case-rate was .09, or .04 above
the mean case-rate for the preceding ten years, which was .05.
Nine cases were fatal. The death-rate was .05, or .03 above
the decennial average, .02. The death-rate for London was
.05. Nine cases occurred in East Battersea, 4 in North-West
Battersea, and 3 in South-West Battersea.
The Midwives Act, 1902, contains some important
provisions which should tend materially to lower the prevalence
of puerperal fever. In London the Act is administered by the
London County Council, who are the local supervising authority,
but the important work of disinfection devolves upon the
Sanitary Authorities. One of the tenements in the Reception
Shelter in Sheepcote Lane is used for personal disinfection after
puerperal fever, and during the year three midwives who had