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As crippling frequently results from an attack of this disease,
all known cases are kept under observation until they are of school
age so as to ensure that they receive treatment.
The Metropolitan Asylums Board has set aside beds at the
Queen Mary's Hospital, Carshalton. for the treatment of cases
not in the acute stage of the disease.
During 1927, 3 Camberwell cases were admitted for treatment
at this hospital.
Pneumonia.
The notifiable forms of pneumonia are acute primary and
acute influenzal pneumonia. 131 cases of the former and 77 cases
of the latter were notified during 1927.
The number of deaths from pneumonia, all forms, during the
year was 260, and 84 deaths were certified to be due to influenza.
Under the nursing arrangements provided by the Council, a
medical attendant can obtain the services of a district nurse for
necessitous cases.
It is not generally realised by the public that pneumonia is
an infectious disease, and that precautions should be taken with
a view to combating the communication of the disease by contact.
Where the case is nursed at home it is advisable for the patient to
have a room to himself; but if this is impossible he should be
screened off from other occupants of the room. The sputum
should be disinfected in addition to articles contaminated by the
patient.
It is also advisable for those in attendance on the patient to
gargle with an antiseptic. The hands should be washed after
touching any article of the patient and always before food is
taken.
Finally the room should be carefully scrubbed down and the
bedding disinfected when the illness is over.
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.
There were 7 cases of puerperal fever notified during 1927.
With one exception all the cases were removed to hospitals for
treatment; 4 to hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
and 2 to Poor Law Institutions. In 3 of the notified cases the
disease proved fatal.
In 1926 the Ministry issued regulations which require
puerperal pyrexia to be notified. It has been defined as any
febrile condition (other than a condition which is required to be
notified as puerperal fever) occurring in a woman within 21 days
after child-birth or miscarriage, in which a temperature of 100.4
degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade) or more has been sustained
during a period of 24 hours, or has recurred during that
period.
During the year 41 cases were reported, 17 notifications were
received from private medical practitioners and 24 from institu-