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cause of the pyrexia has not been found. Because of the risk of transmission
of infection to other patients, the midwife who attends other
confinements is relieved of her duties of attending the febrile patient who
is at home and who is thereafter attended by the home nurses who do
not nurse women at their confinements.
If a patient in a London hospital develops puerperal pyrexia, the
notification is forwarded to the office of the authority of the district in
which she lives. In this way each year a number of notifications are
received of patients who were not delivered in this district.
In 1948, six cases were notified as suffering from puerperal pyrexia ;
of these, one was a notification transferred from London. Two patients
were suffering from infection of the genital tract, both of them patients
who had been delivered in a small maternity home in this district.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Ophthalmia neonatorum is an inflammation of the eyes of the
new-born. At one time it was responsible for much blindness. To-day,
probably mainly the result of preventive treatment carried out at the
time of the birth of the infant, the position is much more satisfactory.
Infection of the eye, however, can so readily lead to blindness that for
many years local authorities have made special arrangements for the
treatment in hospital of the more severe cases or the treatment by skilled
nurses of those infants remaining at home. If the infant has to be admitted
to hospital, it is as well for the mother to be admitted, too.
If ophthalmia neonatorum occurs in an infant born in a London
hospital, the notification is sent to the health office of the authority of
the district in which the mother lives.
In 1948, no cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were notified in this
area.
PEMPHIGUS NEONATORUM.
This is a disease of the skin which in the new-born can cause extreme
illness, or even death. Outbreaks have occurred in which the spread
seemed to be associated with the practice of a particular midwife, though
the exact mode of transmission is unknown.
Although it is rarely met with, because of its seriousness when it
does occur, the Council approached the Ministry of Health to add it to
the list of diseases notifiable in the area, the request being acceded to.
In 1948, no notifications were received of any infants in this district
suffering from pemphigus neonatorum.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIONS.
These infections are not notifiable in this district and knowledge of
their prevalence is obtained from the intimations received from the
head teachers about the absence of children from school.
Chicken Pox.
This condition was quite common in the first term of the year, very
many schools having cases, but none being really heavily attacked. Only