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57
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.— Six cases
of puerperal fever were notified during the year. One occurred
in the Chiswick and Faling Maternity Hospital, one at a
Nursing Home and four in private practice. In two cases the
septic condition arose after a miscarriage and the doctor was not
called in until some days after. In the only case which died the
labour was prolonged and operative interference was necessary.
The case-rate for Ealing is 3.24 per thousand births, compared
with 3.55 for England and Wales.
There were 18 cases of puerperal pyrexia notified. Nine of
these were notified from the Chiswick and Ealing Maternity
Hospital, three from Nursing Homes and six from private practice.
The case-rate for Ealing is 9.40 per thousand births, compared
with 8.71 for England and Wales. The higher number of cases
occurring at the Maternity Hospital than in general practice does
not indicate a higher morbidity rate at the hospital but is in all
probability due to the scrupulous care with which notification is
carried out. The same may be said of the case-rate for Ealing
as compared with that for England and Wales.
All cases of puerperal fever and pyrexia are investigated with
the help of the doctors in attendance to determine if possible the
exact cause and to discover if any action might have prevented
the condition. Help in the way of the provision of the services of
a consultant or in securing admission to hospital is also offered
when necessary.
Primary and Influenzal Pneumonia.—Notifications of
primary pneumonia and influenzal pneumonia showed an
increase over the previous year, 96 cases of primary pneumonia
and 18 of influenzal pneumonia being notified, compared with
78 and 12 cases respectively. As in the previous year the greater
proportion of the cases occurred during the first three months,
when 41 cases of primary pneumonia and 10 cases of influenzal
pneumonia were notified.
Acute Poliomyelitis.—Two cases of acute poliomyelitis
were notified during the year. One was a girl five years of age
who was admitted to the King Edward Hospital six days after
the onset of the illness and was notified six days later. The second
case was that of a girl seven years of age who was attended by a