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Deaths.—There were four deaths from scarlet fever during the year; there
were not any in 1937.
Home Isolation.—Thirty-four cases, or 6.7 per cent, were isolated at home and
in one instance a return case occurred. Frequent visits are made by the district
sanitary inspectors to a case isolated at home in order to ensure that proper precautions
are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease. Employees of the Royal
Arsenal are not allowed to remain at work unless cases are removed to hospital,
or a certificate of efficient home isolation is issued by the Medical Officer of Health.
Two such certificates were issued during the year.
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.
Forty-five cases were notified during the year, compared with 37 in 1937 and
28 in 1936. In 37 instances notification was in respect of puerperal pyrexia, but
at least three of these notifications should have been puerperal fever. One other
case originally notified as puerperal pyrexia was subsequently notified as puerperal
fever. In two instances the disease was a sequel to abortion. Thirty-nine cases
received hospital treatment. Two cases were nursed under the Council's scheme
and one bacteriological examination was made. Mr. Harold Taylor, F.R.C.S.,
the Council's Consultant, in consultation with the doctor in attendance, saw one
patient.