View report page

17
Of the 27 patients notified, 15 had acquired the infection beyond the boundaries of the
Borough. In only one case was the disease alleged to have followed the consumption of shell-fish,
and in 11 cases no clue as to the source of infection could be obtained.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
Thirteen cases of puerperal fever were notified during the year, and of this number 5 proved
fatal. Four patients were confined in hospital or in the infirmary; of the mothers confined in
their homes, 5 were attended in the first instance by midwives and 4 by doctors; in two cases
the infection followed a mis-carriage, and in three instances there was a history of laceration. In
no instance did more than one case of puerperal fever occur in the practice of the same midwife
or doctor during the year.
When a midwife has been in contact with infection, her washable clothing is boiled and other
clothing is disinfected by the staff of the Public Health Department. As soon as she has disinfected
herself, her clothing and her appliances to the satisfaction of the Supervising Authority, she is
allowed to resume her work. The premises where puerperal fever has occurred are inspected, but
they are not in ordinary circumstances disinfected.
OTHER NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.

Thus out of 13 infants who survived and whose subsequent history is known, 12 recovered with
unimpaired vision in both eyes. In the 13th case the damage was limited to one eye, and did not
result in total blindness. The two infants who left the district and could not be traced both
suffered from mild attacks and probably recovered with unimpaired vision.
In addition to the notified cases of ophthalmia, 5 infants were reported by the London County
Council Inspector of Midwives as suffering from inflammation of the eyes, which did not result in
any impairment of vision. The Health Visitors visit every case of inflammation or ophthalmia in
their respective districts as soon as the notification is received, and assist the mother of the infant
to obtain the necessary treatment.
Where the eyes require constant attention the local branch of the Queen Victoria Jubilee
Institute has very kindly arranged for their nurses to attend, at the request of the Health Visitors,
on children who are under medical treatment in their homes. Similar arrangements have also been
made with the Ranyard Nurses, who are prepared to pay four visits daily to cases of ophthalmia
in their district on the Hammersmith border of North Kensington. In certain cases it has also
been found possible for patients to attend daily at the Western Ophthalmic Hospital in Marylebone,
which is within easy access by train from Notting Hill Station. The London Hospital is
unfortunately the only public institution in London, with the exception of the Infirmaries, where
the mother and child can both be received as in-patients. Where immediate removal to hospital
of mother and child is imperative, the Metropolitan Asylums Board ambulances are available without
charge for the purpose.
Anterior Poliomyelitis.—Only four cases of this disease were notified in 1913. The parts
paralysed in the several patients were in E.R., male, aged 3 years, left leg; in E.W.B., female,
4 years, left leg total paralysis, right leg partial; in L.P., male, 5 years, lower limbs; and in D.S.,
female, 10 months, both legs and abdomen. Of the four notified cases none died, and no deaths
were certified as due to acute anterior poliomyelitis.. The homes of the patients were not
verminous, except in the case of E.W.B., who was removed to hospital from rooms which were
infested with bugs and fleas. In no case were animals kept on the premises.