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13
1927]
December 14th, 1927.
Dear Sir,
The Clerk of the Metropolitan Asylums Board has intimated a proposed
investigation into the method of infection in Puerperal Fever or Puerperal
Pyrexia, as follows:—
In the course of the research which is now in progress into the method
of infection in women suffering from puerperal fever or puerperal pyrexia,
who are admitted to the special accommodation which the Board have set
apart for such cases in certain of their infectious hospitals, evidence has been
obtained from which it would appear that the contamination does not arise
from the hands but probably from the throat of the attendant, as an airborne
infection.
The Board's Obstetric Consultant and their Director of Research and
Pathological Services have, therefore, suggested that examination should be
made of the organisms in the nose and throat of those who attended the
puerperal case before admission to the Board's hospitals in order to ascertain
if the same type of organism responsible for the puerperal infection is
present in the upper respiratory tract of the nurse or midwife attending the
case.
The Board have approved of this suggestion and, in order to give effect
to it, it is proposed that, when the medical practitioner telephones to the
Metropoitan Asylums Board to make application for the admission of a
case of puerperal fever or puerperal pyrexia to one of the Board's hospitals,
he shall be asked to swab the throat of the nurse or midwife in attendance
and to forward the swab direct to the Director of Research and Pathological
Services, at the Board's Southern Group Laboratory, Park Hospital, Hither
Green, S.E. 13.
I have replied that I am in agreement that the investigation might prove
a useful one, although there may be difficulties in getting swabs from some
of the attendants, and that I would intimate the matter to the medical practitioners
in the Borough, with a view to getting their co-operation.
I am,
Yours faithfully,
G. CLARK TROTTER,
Medical Officer of Health.
N.B.—Please particularly note that the special swab marked definitely
what it is, that is, from a case of Puerperal Fever or Puerperal
Pyrexia, is to be sent direct to the Director at the address, Hither
Green, given above, and not to this office, as is done in the
case of other specimens.
[Please Keep This for Reference.]
PEMPHIGUS NEONATORUM.
During the year 1927, 24 cases which came to the knowledge of the medical
Officer of Health were investigated.
Of this number 6 cases occurred in the Royal Northern Hospital.