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Puerperal Fever and Pyrexia.—Seven cases of puerperal
fever and 26 cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified during the
year. Of the cases of pyrexia ten occurred in the Chiswick and
Ealing Maternity Hospital and ten in other Hospitals and private
Nursing Homes. Three of the cases notified as puerperal pyrexia
died; one was a woman, 42 years of age, who was confined and died
at her home; the second was a woman, 34 years of age, whose
confinement took place at a private Nursing Home and who was
later removed to the West Middlesex Hospital, where she died;
and the third was a resident of Southall, 28 years of age, whose
confinement took place at a private Nursing Home in Ealing and
who subsequently died whilst in the Home. The cause of death in
each of these three cases was certified to be either puerperal fever
or puerperal sepsis. There were no deaths occurring among the
cases notified as puerperal fever.
Whooping Cough and Measles:—These two diseases are not
notifiable in the Borough, but information is obtained regarding
their occurrence amongst children of school age by means of weekly
returns regarding infectious disease furnished to the School Medical
Department by the head-teachers of the public elementary schools.
The number of cases of whooping cough recorded in this way,
during the year under review, was 108, this number being much
lower than in the previous year, when the cases numbered 365. The
number of cases of measles similarly notified was 1,116, this number
showing a great increase over the previous year when there were
only 383 cases. The deaths from whooping cough numbered four,
the death-rate being 0.04 per thousand of population. This rate is
slightly lower than that for England and Wales, 0.05, but slightiy
higher than that for London, 0.03. The number of deaths occurring
from measles was seven, the death-rate from the disease being 0.07;
this rate is much below that for England and Wales, the
107 Great Towns, and London, which are, respectively 0.10, 0.15
and 0.23. The prevalence of measles during the year was very
great, as even with the cases brought to notice being restricted to
elementary school children there was a case-rate for the Borough
of 10.7 per thousand of population and actually the case-rate would
be much higher than this.