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Puerperal fever (variety of puerperal terms incomparable).
The method of carrying out the Infectious Disease Notification and Infectious
Disease Prevention Acts, smoothly and expeditiously has been organised during
the year.
Whenever a case of infectious disease, included in the Acts, comes to the
knowledge of the Health Department, either through notification or information
from any source, and a medical certificate has not been received the name and
address of the medical attendant are ascertained and a printed immediately
forwarded to him pointing out that a certificate has not yet been received and
calling his attention to Sections 3, 4 and 6, printed on the flyleaf. The necessity
for this course has gradually become less, the Medical Certificates being now
received with reasonable promptitude.
Upon receipt of the Medical Certificate the person in charge or the patient
is informed, by private circular, that a person of the name, age and address given
has been certified to be suffering from the disease mentioned, a notice is enclosed in
accordance with the Infectious Disease Prevention Act, and attention is called therein
to the prohibition of the wrongful disposal of infectious rubbish, and the
obligation to disinfect and cleanse infected houses, and the process of disinfection
required by the Medical Officer of Health in each of the infectious diseases is
detailed. A return-letter is also enclosed, with a request that it be sent to the
Medical Officer of Health when the premises are ready for disinfection and cleansing,
and a foot-note of the resolution of the Vestry is attached to the effect that
disinfection is performed gratuitously during the day, but that it will be carried
out during the night, if so desired, upon payment of a reasonable extra charge.
The Sanitary Inspector visits the premises and makes enquiry as to the place
of clothes-washing, milk-supply, school, or work place attended, source of infection,
and observes that others are subject to no risks of infection; notes the date when
disinfection will be required, and inspects and records the sanitary condition of
the premises, and if any sanitary work requires to be done notice is served to that
effect.
The School being ascertained, the Head Teacher is confidentially informed
that the pupil is suffering from infectious disease and is requested not to re-admit
the pupil until furnished with a Certificate of Disinfection.
Upon receipt of the return-letter, or upon removal of the patient to
hospital, or upon complete recovery, or in case of death, upon removal of the
body, a formal notice is served detailing the disinfection and cleansing necessary,
and the disinfectors fumigate the room or rooms, and remove and return, or
destroy the infected articles of clothing, bedding, &c. The processes of disinfection
necessary will be found described in the Annual Report of last year.