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43
The staff—the Lady Sanitary Inspector and the Lady Health
Visitors—are on the best of terms with the mothers, many of whom
come at first on the recommendation of their neighbours.
To sum up, the weighing centres are doing good work unobtrusively
and effectively. Their influence is not confined to the
mothers and children who attend. The instruction imparted at
the centres survives for the benefit of later children and for the
advantage of other mothers who are unable to come.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
This disease is compulsorily notifiable by Section 55 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891. In 1912, there were 12 notifications
and 4 deaths. The statistics for previous years are
appended:—

This year, the number of notifications is the highest since the
formation of the borough.
The twelve cases in the present year were attended, eight by
medical students from St. Bartholomew's Hospital, one by a lady
midwifery student, one by a certified midwife, and two by private
doctors.
The associated causes and conditions were said to be prolonged
or difficult labour causing injury to the parts (5), contracted pelvis
(1), previous disease one case. In 5 instances no cause was
ascertained; these were possibly cases where there had been want
of care or cleanliness by the persons in attendance.
The notification of puerperal fever is, at present, in a very
unsettled and unsatisfactory condition.