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the preparation of refreshments there. The earlier case was involved in
an outbreak of the disease in South London where the source of infection
was believed to be confectionery. The Kensington case recovered in
hospital and her home contacts remained well and submitted negative
specimens.
The second case of paratyphoid fever occurred in a woman aged
46 years who fell ill on the return journey from a month's holiday in
Jugo-Slavia. Immediately on her arrival in Kensington she was admitted
to hospital where she recovered. All the contacts submitted negative
specimens and remained well.
Puerperal Pyrexia
During 1959, the number of cases of this disease notified was one
hundred and twelve, of whom eighty-three were persons normally resident
outside the borough. All of these cases occurred in hospital.
In order to show some perspective in reviewing the incidence of
this disease (defined as any febrile condition occurring in a woman in whom
a temperature of 100.4°F. or more has occurred within fourteen days after
childbirth or miscarriage), the following table sets out an analysis of the
causes of pyrexia in the cases notified in 1959 :-
Cause
Number of cases
Flushed breast, breast abscess, mastitis 14
Respiratory infections
Chest infection 4
Influenza 6
Coryza 2 12
Urinary infection 32
Pyrexia associated with abnormal delivery:-
Retained placenta 1
Forceps delivery 1
Transfusion reaction 2
Caesarian section 4
Subinvolution 1 9
Uterine infection 22
Causes unknown after investigation 23
In addition to the above one hundred and twelve cases, information
was received concerning forty-five patients normally resident in Kensington,
who were notified as suffering from puerperal pyrexia in other London
districts.
No deaths occurred under this heading.
Pneumonia
There are various forms of pneumonia, but the only types
notifiable are (i) acute primary and (ii) acute influenzal pneumonia. During
the year sixty notifications were received, fifteen being acute primary
pneumonia and forty-five being acute influenzal pneumonia. Of the total,
thirteen cases were removed to hospital for treatment.
The number of deaths from pneumonia (all forms) was one hundred
and eight, and the number of deaths from influenza was thirty-two during
1959.
Dysentery
One hundred and ten cases of dysentery were notified during
1959, all of which were bacillary in origin, the majority being due to the
Sonne bacillus. Generally speaking the cases were of a mild type and there
were no deaths. Thirty-six of these patients were treated in hospital.