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114
Spread in Family.
The 4 cases occurred in 2 families. Tn 1 family 1 case occurred, in 1 family
3 cases occurred.
Removals.
1 case was removed to the London Fever Hospital.
Epidemic Diarrhcba.
This disease is notifiable in only a few districts in London, and is not notifiable
in Holborn.
The number of deaths of young children under two years of age classified
under the head, Diarrhoea and Enteritis, was 5, of whom 4 were under 1 year.
The deaths were equal to a rate of 9.9 per 1,000 births in comparison with
7.5 for all London
The methods used to deal with the disease have been detailed in a previous
report; the most important perhaps is that during the third quarter of the year
extra visits are paid to those homes in which epidemic diarrhoea is more likely to
occur.
Nursing of Pemphigus Neonatorum.
From time to time outbreaks of pemphigus, a contagious skin disease, fatal at
times, occurs among young babies and it is considered possible that the disease
may be spread by midwives. During the year 1927 the Maternity and Child
Welfare Committee were informed that the London County Council desired
arrangements to be made by which midwives should be relieved of such cases
immediately they occurred. Any arrangement, therefore, for the nursing of
pemphigus would necessarily include the nursing of the mother until the end of
puerperium.
With a view to meeting the position and so avoiding risk of infection being
carried by midwives, the Council made arrangements with the Metropolitan
District Nursing Association for the nursing of such cases by their nurses,
payment to be at the same rate as for other nursing undertaken by the Association
for the Council. In a communication dated 17th November, 1927, the sanction
of the Minister of Health to the arrangement was conveyed subject, however, to
the condition that although the maternity nursing of the mother would up to the
end of the lying-in period rank for grant under the Maternity and Child Welfare
Regulations, the grant would not be available in respect of the cost of nursing
the baby suffering from pemphigus. The communication, however, intimated that
the matter would be reconsidered in connection with any revision of the Regulations.