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During 1915 no school was closed for diphtheria, but 2 schools
(9 class rooms) were disinfected on account of cases amongst the
scholars.
During 1915, 4 cases of membranous croup were notified (no
deaths), all the patients being removed to hospital.
Puerperal Fever and Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
The numbers of cases notified and deaths registered, during
1915, from these two diseases were, respectively, 26 and 73 (notified
cases), and 12 and 0 (registered deaths). Having regard to the
total number of births registered (7,878) the incidences of these two
diseases are small. Both are preventible and caused through neglect
or want of care on the part of those in charge of the mother during
the puerperium and of the infant during the first few days or weeks
of life.
During 1915 two instances of neglect on the part of midwives
were reported, and in one, a prima facie case was established and
reported to the Central Midwives Board by the London County
Council as the local supervising authority, with the result that the
midwife's name was taken off the roll.
Erysipelas.
During 1915, 177 cases were notified and 14 deaths registered
from erysipelas, a septic disease. The majority of the cases notified
were of a mild type, and not such as were anticipated by the framers
of the Notification Acts.
Scarlet Fever.
No school outbreak of scarlet fever occurred during 1915, necessitating
closure, but in 6 instances (4 public and 2 private schools)
class rooms were disinfected on account of cases amongst the
scholars—a total of 26 class rooms.
2.—Non-Notifiable Diseases.
Chickenpox.
In addition to the 473 cases of chickenpox which were notified
during 1915 between March 17th and June 30th, during which period
the disease was compulsorily notifiable, 728 other cases were reported
voluntarily through schools or otherwise—151 in the first quarter,
184 in the second, 128 in the third and 265 in the fourth. The total
1,201 cases occurred in 1,089 infected houses.