View report page

Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.—Three cases of
puerperal fever and 8 cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified
during the year, as against 2 and 2 in 1934.
These figures, although small in themselves, are definitely
alarming, as they show a very considerable increase in the incidence
of these two diseases. It would certainly be dangerous to draw
sweeping conclusions from the figures applicable to one year, and
it will be necessary to wait for a longer period before we can
definitely say that puerperal infection is on the increase in Southgate.
If such were the case, drastic measures would be called for
to reduce the incidence without further delay.
The services of the Council's consulting gynaecologist, Mr.
Head, were required three times during the year, twice for cases
occurring in private nursing homes and once for a case admitted
to the Isolation Hospital. These cases all made satisfactory
recovery and I should like to take this opportunity of thanking
Mr. Read for his services, which are invariably rendered with
great promptitude, and prove of the very greatest value.
Erysipelas.—Twenty-three cases of erysipelas were notified
during the year as against 20 in 1934. One death occurred.
Nine cases were removed to the Isolation Hospital.
Pneumonia.—Twenty-four cases of pneumonia were notified
during 1935, as against 41 in 1934 and 57 in 1933. It will thus
be seen that the figures have shown a progressive decrease during
the past three years, not the least satisfactory feature of our vital
statistics. So long as the present system of notifying only acute
primary lobar and acute influenzal pneumonias persists, it will
not be possible to obtain a true picture of the incidence of
pneumonia in any class of the population. Some drastic revision
of the present regulations is definitely called for, which will allow
a more comprehensive notification of all the types of pneumonia
met with in the different age groups of the population. Twentyeight
deaths occurred, this number, as before, incorporating all
deaths from this cause and therefore including secondary cases,
which were non-notifiable. A. considerable proportion of the cases
were removed to the North Middlesex County and other Hospitals,
one fatal case being admitted as a matter of urgency to the Isolation
Hospital.
65