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65
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.
Notification of all feverish conditions occurring soon after
a confinement, by doctors attending such cases, is required by
Regulations for the control of Puerperal Fever and Puerperal
Pyrexia that came into force in October, 1926. The object of these
Regulations is to secure that women who suffer from such conditions
may as quickly as possible come under special treatment,
if necessary, or may be provided with skilled nursing or with
institutional treatment.
Four cases of Puerperal Fever were notified in East Ham
during 1927. All occurred in private practice. All were removed
to Hospital. Two of these cases proved fatal.
Eleven cases of Puerperal Pyrexia were notified during the
year. Eight of these cases occurred in private practice, and three
were notified from Hospitals. Ten of these women recovered.
The death of the remaining case was due to its being, complicated
by Tuberculous Laryngitis.
Maternal Deaths.
The question of deaths occurring during or soon after childbirth
has already been referred to in the section dealing with the
Ante-natal Clinic, where it was mentioned that the Maternal Mortality
Rate throughout the country is stationary. The number of
these deaths has not been appreciably diminished by all the efforts
so far made by Public Health Authorities in reference to this question.
It is for this reason that careful investigation is made into
the circumstances of all such deaths, that information may be
obtained which may afford guidance towards future preventive
work.