View report page

45
Surgeon for St. Thomas's Hospital, are no longer available, nor those
of his deputy Mr. A. H. Richardson. Arrangements however, have
been made for Mr. F. S. Roques, M.S., F.R.C.S., of the staff of the
Middlesex Hospital, to act as Consultant Obstetrician and his
services are available in cases of grave emergency.
It was found necessary to call in the services of the Consultant
Obstetrician in 14 cases during the year as compared with 20 cases
in 1929.
Temporary Closure of Hospital.
A number of cases of Sepsis of a mild type occurred at the
Hospital in October and November, 1929. The symptoms simulated
for the most part influenza colds with slight temperature and
a herpetic eruption on the lips. During December the outbreak
subsided.
Two of these cases who were more severely attacked were
removed to Hospital and eventually recovered.
Prior to this, early in September a patient was confined after
a difficult instrumental labour with severe lacerations. Septic
infection developed and she was removed to the Metropolitan
Asylums Board Hospital where she died several weeks later.
Towards the end of December a case was admitted with a
bad ante-natal history. In view of her serious condition Caesarian
operation was performed. Owing to her dangerous condition after
the operation she could not be removed to a special hospital for
several days. She was subsequently removed to St. James's
Hospital, and died there a few days later. It is not improbable
that this case may have had some bearing on the subsequent
recrudescence of infection in January and February.
Fifty-nine cases were admitted to the Hospital in January,
and two cases (in addition to the fatal one) were removed to the
Metropolitan Asylums Board Special Hospital.
In February the infection became more prevalent amongst the
patients. Three cases were removed to the Isolation Hospital
owing to the development of septic infection and a fourth for other
reasons. Other patients developed evidence of mild infection, but
were retained in this Hospital under such isolation as was practicable
pending evacuation.
Investigation showed that in this secondary outbreak mothers,
children and nurses were affected, children with sore fingers, sticky
eyes and abscesses, and nurses with sore fingers.
Drastic steps, therefore, became imperative, and the Hospital
on the advice of the Medical Officer of Health, was, on the authority
of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee, closed for one month
on the 17th February.