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For each of the above a fee of 2/6d. is payable by the Local Authority to the
medical practitioner if the case occurs in his private practice, or 1/- if the case occurs in
his practice as medical officer of a public body or institution.
Recent Legislation.
Puerperal Pyrexia Regulations, 1951.
These Regulations which came into operation on 1st August, 1951, revoke the Puerpeial
Pyrexia Regulations, 1939, and the Public Health (Notification of Puerperal Fever
and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926 and 1928.
The new Regulations continue the effect of the revoked Regulations making puerperal
fever a notifiable disease, the only major modification being in the definition of puerperal
pyrexia. This has been amended to "Any febrile condition occurring in a woman in
whom a temperature of 100.4° F. or more has occurred within fourteen days after child
birth or miscarriage."
Public Health (Leprosy) Regulations, 1951.
These Regulations which came into operation on 22nd June, 1951, require every
medical practitioner who is attending, or called in to visit a person suffering from leprosy
to notify the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health by sending him a certificate
in the form set out in the Schedule to the Regulations. The Regulations are enforced
and the certificates provided by local authorities.
During the year 406 cases of infectious disease were notified, of which 92 were
removed to hospital. These are tabulated in the age groups (see Table No. 6, page 20).
Comparative figures of infectious disease for the years 1920-1951 are also shown (see Table
No. 7, pages 22 and 23.
Diphtheria.
It is very gratifying to report that for the first time in the history of the Borough
no case of diphtheria was notified. This result is a fitting tribute to the work done in
Holborn which was the first Metropolitan Authority to start immunisation clinics thirty
years ago. There is one less satisfactory aspect in that fewer persons have been immunised
this year. Graph No. 3, facing this page, shows a comparison between the incidence
of diphtheria and the number of persons immunised against diphtheria during the years
1920 to 1951.
Dysentery.
Thirty-four cases were notified and fourteen were removed to hospital.
Erysipelas.
One case was notified and was nursed at home.