London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of Westminster 1926

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

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32
Cerebro-spinal Fever.—One case only of this disease occurred, with
no death.
Polio-myelitis.—2 cases occurred, with one death.
Encephalitis Lethargica.—5 cases occurred, with 2 deaths, both
males, aged 42 and 53.
Chicken Pox.—198 cases were notified.
Mumps.—64 cases were recorded, 3 being moved to hospital.
Plague, etc.—Intimation was received of one person coming into
Westminster from a place infected with plague.
Anthrax.—There were no cases in 1926.
Puerperal Fever.—5 cases occurred, with 2 deaths—both in hospital.

The following table shows the number of births for the last five years, together with the number of cases of puerperal fever and deaths:—

Year.No. of births.No. of cases.Deaths.
19221,89564
19231,7523-
19241,624102
19251,53561
19261,60652

Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.—Regulations relating to
the notification of these conditions came into force on 1st October, 1926.
The following extracts from reports to the Public Health Committee
indicate the reasons which actuated the Minister in framing these regulations,
and the provisions by which it is hoped that considerable improvement
will be achieved in lessening morbid conditions which are far too
frequently associated with childbirth.
Puerperal fever has been compulsorily notifiable since the Infectious
Diseases Notification Act, 1889, but it is apparent, from the large numbers
of women who die annually in England and Wales from the results of puerperal
sepsis that the disease is notified too late for any effective treatment
to be carried out. There is, on the other hand, good reason for believing
that many cases are not notified at all. Whatever may be the cause which
acts as a deterrent to notification, it is important to adopt measures for
the early treatment of morbid conditions which may arise during the
puerperium. As the term puerperal fever is indefinite, admits of difficulty
in diagnosis and tends to deter or delay notification, the Minister has
clearly defined the term puerperal pyrexia, and has made this condition