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41
perium irrespective of the cause to which the fever may be attributed.
It is recognised that this requirement will lead to a great increase in
the number of notifications and that many cases so reported will be
relatively trivial in degree, but the great importance of securing
adequate treatment in the early stages of Puerperal infection is regarded
as outweighing any objection to the notification of a certain
amount of minor illness which gives no cause for anxiety.
I enclose herewith books of forms for the notification of both
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia, and have specially to call
your attention to the definition of the latter disease which appears on
the form, and to the fact that the notification forms enable a practitioner
to indicate whether any assistance in dealing with the case
is desired.
The Minister suggests that I should remind you that the Metropolitan
Asylums Managers have made special arrangements for the
institutional treatment of Puerperal Fever in three of their Hospitals,
viz., the Eastern, North Western, and South Western, where special
wards are set aside, and special medical and nursing staffs provided.
I am, yours faithfully,
A. Wellesley Harris,
Medical Officer of Health.
Pneumonia.—The Public Health (Pneumonia, etc.) Regulations,
1918, require the notification of Acute Lobar and
Influenzal Pneumonia, and during the year 161 cases were
notified.