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142
Administration of the Public Health (Puerperal Fever
and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926. These Regulations
came into force on the 1st October, 1926, and made notifiable,
in addition to puerperal fever, puerperal pyrexia, which is
defined as follows:—
"Any febrile condition (other than a condition
which is required to be notified as puerperal fever
under the Infectious Disease (Notification) Acts)
occurring in women within 21 days after child-birth
or mis-carriage in which a temperature of 100.4 deg.
Fahrenheit (38 deg. Centigrade) or more has been
sustained during a period of 24 hours, or has recurred
during that period."
Their object is to ensure the organisation of proper
measures for the prompt and effective treatment of a septic
puerperium. It was recognised that the number of notifications
would increase, and would include many cases
relatively trivial in degree, but the great importance of securing
adequate treatment in the early stages of puerperal infection
was regarded as outweighing any objection to the notification
of a certain amount of minor illness which gives no cause
for anxiety.
In my report for 1926, I stated that the Council's scheme
was receiving consideration at the end of the year. The
scheme, as ultimately approved by the Ministry, is as
follows :—
(a) Mr. H. G. Taylor, F.R.C.S., has been appointed as
Consultant at a fee of £3 3s. Od. per consultation
with the addition of £1 1s. 0d. for the time spent in
travelling, and a further fee of £1 1s. Od. if treatment
is carried out, with a minimum annual
payment of 20 guineas.