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80
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Eleven of the cases (four in Clapham, three in Putney, one in
Streatham, and three in Wandsworth), or 44 per cent. were fatal,
compared with 44.4 per cent. in 1905, and 35.7 per cent. in 1904.
Five of the cases were removed to the Union Infirmary, and
four of these proved fatal.
The death-rate was .035 per 1,000, compared with .028 in
1905, and .013 in 1904.
The case-rate per 1,000 births was 3"5, while for the whole
of London this rate was 2'4-
During the year a copy of the following Regulations, which
had been drawn up by the Society of Medical Officers of Health,
was handed to every nurse who had been in attendance on a case
of Puerperal Fever, and in all the cases the necessary disinfection
was carried out.
Seven nurses had free baths at the Disinfecting Station,
Tooting.
After disinfection and cleansing the appended certificate isgiven
to the nurse.
REGULATIONS for the Disinfection of Midwives after
Attendance upon Patients Suffering from Puerperal
Fever.
Personal Disinfection.
The midwife, after attending a septic case, should take a
complete bath, including the thorough washing of the hair.
An order for a free bath can be obtained from any of the
Sanitary Inspectors or on application at the Public Health
Department, 90, East Hill, Wandsworth.
Disinfection of hands.—The careful disinfection of the hands
requires strict attention. The nails should be trimmed. The
hands should be washed with soap and water, rinsed in clean
water, soaked in methylated spirit, and finally soaked in a solution
of corrosive sublimate (1 in 1,000) or other equally efficient
disinfectant, for about 10 minutes.