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30
The number of cases notified to me by Poor Law Medical
Officers under the 1908 Regulations was 70. Of this number 60
entered the infirmary, 14 died there, and 17 left that institution.
Six died in their own homes, and of these four after leaving the
infirmary. All cases of Phthisis notified during the year have
been visited about once a month by the Assistant Medical Officer.
Premises vacated by patients (whether by death or otherwise)
have been disinfected and cleansed.
Printed and verbal instructions as to hygienic management
have been given; disinfectants have been provided; and in
many cases, on the prescription of the Medical Officer of Health,
sputum bottles have been supplied to the sufferers.
We have no "sanatorium" or institution, other than the
West Ham Poor Law Infirmary, to which we can send patients.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
Nine cases of this disease were notified, and two deaths
occurred: a case.fatality of 22.2 per cent. The fatality per cent.
of the total number of births is .068. A case.fatality of 22.2 per
cent. would seem to point to Puerperal Fever being an exceptionally
fatal disease, but its fatality would be considerably reduced if all
cases of the disease were notified. I am confident that only a
small proportion of cases are notified, and I drew attention to this
matter in my last year's report, where my views on the subject—
the result of some twenty years' experience in general medical
practice—are set forth.
Of the nine notified cases four occurred in the practice of
midwives.