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In 1910, 16 cases of puerperal fever were notified in Battersea
and 6 deaths were registered from the disease giving a case-mortality
of 37 per cent, and a death-rate of 0.03 per 1,000 population.
Puerperal fever is a preventable disease and is caused by
want of care by those in attendance on the lying-in woman. During
1911, 4,381 births were registered in or as belonging to Battersea.
It is satisfactory to note therefore that the death-rate from this
cause was exceedingly small. In all cases of puerperal fever notified
to the Medical Officer of Health, enquiries are at once made and
the midwife or nurse in attendance is visited at her home. Arrangements
are immediately made for the attendance of the midwife
at the Shelter, Sheepcote Lane, where she is provided with a sanitary
bath and her clothing, instruments, &c., are at the same time
sterilised by steam at the disinfecting station adjoining. Cases
are at once reported to the London County Council who are the
local supervising authority under the Midwives Act, 1902. The
important duty of disinfection, however, devolves upon the
Borough Council as the Local Sanitary Authority.
Six nurses and 8 midwives who had been in attendance on
puerperal fever cases or in contact while attending lying-in cases
with other infectious diseases, attended at the Shelter for purposes
of disinfection.
Erysipelas.
During 1911, in the Borough of Battersea, 161 cases of erysipelas
were notified and 3 deaths were registered from the disease as
compared with 170 cases and 8 deaths in 1910. The case-mortality
was 1.8 per cent, as compared with 4.7 per cent, in 1910 and 2.7
per cent, in 1909. The case-rate was 0.96 and the death-rate
0.02 being 0.06 above and 0.03 below the decennial average
respectively.
Thirty-five cases were removed to hospital, the majority going
to Union Infirmaries and the remainder to general hospitals.
In London during 1911, 4,845 cases of erysipelas were notified
and 202 deaths registered from the disease, giving a case -mortality
of 4.0 per cent.
Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis.
During 1911, 7 cases of Cerebro-spinal Meningitis were notified
in Battersea as compared with 5 cases notified in 1910 and 4
in 1909, and 5 deaths were registered from the disease.
In the County of London 101 cases of Epidemic Cerebro-spinal
Meningitis were notified during 1911.