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53
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.
Four cases of Puerperal Fever were notified in Battersea in
1935, as compared with 10 in 1934, 3 in 1933, 4 in 1932, and 6 in
1931.
No death was registered as due to this disease. One death from
septicaemia following unlawful abortion was registered as due to
violence.
The number of notified cases per 1,000 births (live and still)
was 1.84, as compared with 4.5 in 1934, 1.29 in 1933, 1.67 in
1932, and 2 .36 in 1931.
There were 2,324 cases of Puerperal Fever notified in England
and Wales during 1935, including 249 in London. A comparison
of the incidence of Puerperal Fever in London and Battersea will
be found on page 118.
The number of cases of Puerperal Pyrexia notified in Battersea
during 1935 was 11, and the incidence per 1,000 births (live and
still) was 5.06.
There were 5,888 cases of Puerperal Pyrexia notified in England
and Wales during the year, including 686 notified in London.
Under the provisions of the Public Health (Notification of
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926, the
Council have appointed a consultant to assist medical practitioners
in the diagnosis of these diseases, and have provided facilities for the
bacteriological examination of discharges, &c., from patients, and
for the nursing of cases where required. Hospital accommodation
for the treatment of Puerperal Fever is provided by the London
County Council in their North Western Hospital.
Enteric Fever.
During the year 15 cases of Typhoid Fever (including 10 of
Paratyphoid B) were notified, excluding 5 other cases in which the
original diagnosis was not confirmed. Seven of these cases were
notified in September.
This is the highest number notified in Battersea since 1916.
Careful investigation was made of the causation in every case.
In one, the patient gave a history of having, while camping, obtained
drinking water direct from a neighbouring river. Fairly conclusive
evidence of direct infection from another patient was discovered in
a second case. In several instances information was obtained that
the patient had eaten ice cream purchased from the same firm of
vendors, but bacteriological examination of samples of the ice
cream, and investigation of the factory where it was made disclosed
no evidence of infection.
The possibility of the water supply being the source of infection
was also investigated, but no reason to suspect the purity of the
supply was found.
Fortunately the majority of these cases proved to be mild, and
there were no deaths.