View report page

55
Puerperal Pyrexia.—Thirty-one cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified during the year.
Two occurred in nursing homes ; 16 in hospitals to which the patients had been removed prior
to their confinements ; and 13 in the homes of the patients. Of the 13 confined at home, 10 were
subsequently removed to hospital for treatment, whilst the remaining three received medical
attention in their own homes.
One of the notified cases of puerperal pyrexia proved fatal. The woman was confined in
St. Mary's Hospital and transferred to Queen Charlotte's Hospital, where she died.
In 1926, the Ministry of Health issued the Public Health (Notification of Puerperal Fever
and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926, which provided for the more complete notification of
all cases of puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia. In connection with these regulations, the
Minister of Health issued Circular 722, which suggested that notification should be supplemented,
when necessary, by facilities for assistance in diagnosis and for the treatment of patients who
are not able to secure adequate treatment for themselves.
At that time, the Council appointed the late Dr. Remington Hobbs, the medical superintendent
of St. Mary Abbots Hospital, to the position of consulting gynaecologist, but this officer died in
May last and the Council arranged for Dr. A. Morris Johns, a consultant at Queen Charlotte's
Hospital, to carry out the duties previously performed by Dr. Hobbs. In addition to his services
as consultant gynaecologist, Dr. Morris Johns undertakes the detailed confidential enquiry into
each maternal death occurring in Kensington, which the Minister of Health has requested the
borough council to carry out. For these services, Dr. Morris Johns receives a fee of three guineas
in respect of each case attended by him on behalf of the council as consultant gynaecologist and
one guinea for each enquiry into a maternal death. The fees for consulting work amounted to
£6 6s. 0d., and for enquiry work to £5 5s. 0d. in 1932.
Malaria.—Three cases of this disease were notified during the year, and investigations revealed
that the disease had been contracted in the West Indies in one case, and in India in another; the
third was induced whilst the patient was an inmate of a mental hospital.
Encephalitis Lethargica.—In 1932, there were two cases reported in Kensington . The
patients were females aged two and 50 years respectively. One case was notified on February 6th
and recovered. The other was notified on June 14th and proved fatal.
Poliomyelitis and Polio-Encephalitis.—Two cases of poliomyelitis or polio-encephalitis were
notified to the public health department during the year 1932. Both were adults aged 26 and
49 years respectively. The former died and the latter recovered.

Pneumonia and Influenzal Pneumonia.—There are many forms of pneumonia but the only
kinds notifiable are acute primary pneumonia and influenzal pneumonia. Two hundred and
thirty-three notifications were received, 171 patients being certified as suffering from acute primary
pneumonia and 62 from influenzal pneumonia.
The number of deaths from pneumonia during the year was 188, and 38 deaths were certified
to be due to influenza.
Zymotic Enteritis or Summer Diarrhoea.—In 1924, the borough council adopted a scheme
for the control and treatment of zymotic enteritis or summer diarrhoea. The scheme has operated
during the summer months—in 1924, from the 1st July to the 30th September ; in 1925-1929 from
the 1st June to the 30th September; and since 1930, from the 1st July to the 31st October.
The council retain the part-time services of Dr. Ronald Carter, who has made a special study
of zymotic enteritis. Dr. Carter pays periodical visits to the various infant welfare centres, where
he is consulted in reference to difficult cases. He also sees cases in their homes which are not attended
by other doctors.