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15
PUBLIC HEALTH (NOTIFICATION OF PUERPERAL FEVER AND PUERPERAL PYREXIA)
REGULATIONS, 1926.
Puerperal Fever has been notifiable throughout the country since the Infectious Disease
(Notification) Extension Act, 1899, came into force, but experience has shewn that, for a
variety of reasons, notification has been far from complete. The main reason for the comparative
failure to notify has been found in the fact that Puerperal Fever is ill-defined and
is not a specific disease comparable with Scarlet Fever or Diphtheria. There appears to
be frequently genuine doubt as to the correct diagnosis. The Ministry of Health, therefore,
decided to modify the existing arrangements for notification of Puerperal Fever by requiring
prompt notification as soon as symptoms suggestive of septic infection became manifest.
It will ultimately doubtless be desirable to replace the term "Puerperal Fever" by
the term "Puerperal Pyrexia," but without legislation amending the Infectious Diseases
(Notification) Acts, it is not permissible to substitute "Puerperal Pyrexia" for "Puerperal
Fever "as a disease notifiable under the Acts. The new Regulations, which came into
operation on the 1st October of this year, therefore, whilst prescribing new forms for the
notification of cases of Puerperal Fever, also require the notification of Puerperal Pyrexia,
thus placing an obligation upon medical practitioners to notify all cases of Puerperal Pyrexia
during the puerperium, irrespective of the cause to which the fever may be attributed. It
is expected that this requirement will result in an increase in numbers of notifications, and
that many cases reported will be relatively trivial in degree, but the importance of securing
adequate treatment in the early stages of Puerperal infection is rightly regarded as outweighing
any objection to the notification of a certain amount of minor illness.
So far as the City is concerned, this possibility of increased notifications is of very small
importance in view of the peculiar nature of the City population. There were in fact
no notifications during the year of this illness.
PUBLIC HEALTH (OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM) REGULATIONS, 1926.
The above-mentioned Regulations, which came into force on the 1st October last,
revoked those made in 1914, under which an obligation was laid on certified midwives to
notify any case of Ophthalmia Neonatorum unless the case had already been notified by
a medical practitioner. This system of dual notification, in some instances resulted in
complete failure to notify. The Regulations issued this year, however, place the onus
to notify solely on the medical practitioner, and it is hoped that the difficulties which were
manifest in the Regulations now superceded will not be again experienced.
No notifications of this disease were received during the year.
NURSING PROVISION.
Measles, etc.—The Corporation has approved of the expenditure of £25 per annum in
respect of the nursing of complicated cases of Measles, Encephalitis Lethargica and Cerebrospinal
Fever, and have also agreed to expend the sum of £30 on provision of medical assistance
and nursing attendance in necessitous cases of Influenza. No action was necessary under
this heading during 1926.
TEMPORARY ISOLATION ACCOMMODATION.
29, MIDDLESEX STREET.
In 1918, the Corporation made provision for suitable accommodation for the isolation
and observation of Small-pox contacts at premises situated at 6, Bridegwater Square. These
premises were demolished in 1925, and alternative accommodation has been provided at
29, Middlesex Street, E.C.
It was not found necessary to use the provision during the year.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Tuberculosis Dispensary.—The Tuberculosis Dispensary has been open throughout
the year for the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis of various types on Tuesdays and
Fridays from 12-30 to 2-30; on Mondays from 5-0 to 8-0; on Thursdays from 6-0 to 8-0;
and on Wednesdays, 11-30 to 1-0. In all, 255 sessions have been held, and in addition the
Tuberculosis Officer has visited cases at their homes when necessary.
New Patients.—The number of new patients examined was 410 as compared with 374
last year.
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