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One death from measles occurred during the year.
The Women Sanitary Inspectors visit cases of measles with few exceptions and arrange, where
necessary, for the attendance of the District Nurses.
The cases requiring nursing assistance during the year numbered 7 under 5 years of age and
3 over 5 years of age. The number of visits paid by the nurses was 78 and 23 to each group
respectively.
Eighty-five cases received treatment in hospital.
GERMAN MEASLES.
As is the case with measles this disease is no longer notifiable in Paddington. In the course
of the year 30 cases came to the knowledge of the Department through various sources of information.
Ten patients received treatment in hospital.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
This disease is notifiable in London under Section 192 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936,
the London County Council having by resolution made this section applicable to the disease.
Sixteen notifications relating to cases of purulent eye-discharge of the new-born were received
during 1937. All the patients recovered without any impairment of vision.
As soon as a case of this disease is notified, intensive efforts are made by the Council's Staff to
ensure that proper treatment is carried out. Daily visits are paid and private or charitable medical
treatment is invariably enforced. Where necessary the infant and its mother are removed to a
hospital, provision of this accommodation being ample. All necessary nursing attention is given
by home visiting on the part of the Paddington and St. Marylebone District Nursing Association.
In addition to true purulent discharge, 4 cases of slight discharge from the eyes of infants
reported by midwives to the London County Council were referred to this Department and received
attention, no doubt preventing the onset of the more severe form of the disease.
No cases were referred to the District Nursing Association during the year.
Thirteen cases of ophthalmia of the new-born were treated in hospitals as in-patients.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
There were 23 cases of puerperal fever notified during 1937, 22 of which were removed to or
nursed in a hospital. There is no difficulty in obtaining institutional treatment for women suffering
from this disease. Cases of puerperal fever referred to the London County Council are usually
sent to the North-Western Hospital, Hampstead, where a special ward is set aside for these cases
and special medical and nursing staffs are provided. Excellent accommodation is also available
at Queen Charlotte's Isolation Hospital, Hammersmith.
Two deaths from the disease were recorded during the year.