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58
Nine cases of Pueperal Fever and 12 of Puerperal Pyrexia
were notified. 12 of these occurred in private practice, and 9 were
notified from hospitals.
Maternal Deaths.
Much attention has been paid to the question of Maternal
Mortality, which in spite of all efforts, has not appreciably
diminished. Full particulars of each maternal death are now
entered on special Forms and reported to the Ministry of Health,
and it is hoped by this means that new factors will be brought
to light.
During the year 1929 12 deaths in connection with par turition
occurred to East Ham cases as follows:—
Puerperal septicæmia 5
Post-partum haemorrhage 2
Ruptured uterus 1
Toxaemia of pregnancy 2
In addition to these there were 2 deaths due to diseases associated
with childbirth.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum (i.e., inflammation of the eyes of
new-born babies) has in past years been terribly injurious to the
sight of infants who contracted it, frequently leaving them permanently
blind; and every effort is now made to control and
eradicate this disease, under Regulations for its notification that
came into force in October, 1926. Any doctor attending such
a case is required to notify it to the Medical Officer of Health. A
midwife meeting the case of an infant having discharging eyes is
required to summon a doctor, who then becomes responsible for
notification, if he diagnose this disease. The information is
passed by the Medical Officer of Health to the Medical Officer of
the Child Welfare Department, and she keeps the case under
observation, directly or through one of the Health Visitors.
During ing 1929, 3 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified
in East Ham, with results of treatment as shown in the following
table:—