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and assisting her to make the best possible arrangements for her confinement
lessens the risk of puerperal fever.
Puerperal Pyrexia.
Puerperal Pyrexia, as defined in the Public Health (Notification of
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926, means any
febrile condition, other than pueperal fever, occurring in a woman within 21
days after childbirth, or miscarriage, in which a temperature of 100 4
Fahrenheit, or more, has been sustained during a period of 24 hours or has
recurred during that period.
Provision is made in these Regulations for consultations between the
Doctor notifying and obstetric specialists, and arrangements have been made
with five specialists whose names are included in the list of the staff at the
end of this report, to meet practitioners in consultation on these cases upon
request.
During the year 16 cases were notified. Of these, nine were subsequently
found to be suffering from puerperal fever generally of mild type,
in three inflammation of the breast was the cause of the pryexia, in one case
the patient was suffering from influenza and in three cases it was not possible
to obtain an opinion as to the final diagnosis. Twelve cases were removed
to Hospital.
Consultations with the specialists above referred to were held in two
cases.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
This disease, the duty of notifying which was, under the Public Health
(Ophthalmia Neonatorum) Regulations, 1926, placed solely upon the
medical practitioner in charge of the case, consists of a purulent discharge
from the eye of an infant occurring within 21 days of birth.