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76
"puerperal fever." The following opinions were
obtained on the subject during the past year:—
The Royal College of Physicians expressed the opinion that: "With a
yiew to the limitation of dangerous infectious diseases, the London
County Council would be acting rightly in adopting the view that the
expression 'puerperal fever,' as contained in Section 55 of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, should be taken to include septicaemia,
pyaemia, septic peritonitis, septic metritis, and other acute septic
inflammations in the pelvis occurring as the direct result of child-birth";
and the Council of the Obstetrical Society that "most of the diseases
mentioned* . . . are intended to be included under the name of
puerperal fever in the Public Health Act." And further that "an
inclusive definition should be added after the words 'puerperal fever' in
the following form:—
"*That is, septicemia and pyaemia, including peritonitis, and all
cases of acute pelvic inflammation occurring in connection with
child-birth.'"
"Cancer."
The deaths from the numerous forms of disease
included under this term amounted to 115 during the
year, as compared with a decennial average of 112.
During 1888-92 the annual average was 106, and
that during 1893-97, 118. In North Paddington 82
deaths were attributed to this group of causes, the
averages for the decennium being 82, and for the two
quinquennia 75 (first) and 87 (second). In South
Paddington there were 33 deaths, 3 more than the
ten-year average, and 2 more than both the five-year.
The death-rate was equal to 0'90 per 1,000 persons
* Viz, peritonitis and metritis, occurring in connection with parturition,
puerperal pyaemia, p. sapticiemia, and p. sapramia.