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56
Puerperal Pyrexia.
The maternity block at Kingston Hospital serves Kingston and a
large surrounding area embracing a population of some 285,000 persons.
During 1963, 1,949 deliveries took place in the hospital, and inevitably
some cases of puerperal pyrexia occurred, all of which were
notified to the Medical Officer of Health in accordance with the regulations
which define the illness as a febrile condition occurring in a
woman in whom a temperature of 100.4°F. or more has occurred within
fourteen days after childbirth or miscarriage.

Smallpox.
There were no cases recorded in Kingston during 1963. Constant
vigilance is however necessary and in particular surveillance has to
be maintained over persons arriving from abroad particularly when they
have come by air from countries where outbreaks have occurred.
Most countries insist upon an International Certificate of Vaccination
being produced before travellers are allowed to land. In this
connection, a large number of certificates issued by Kingston doctors
are officially authenticated in the Public Health Department each year
in accordance with regulations.
During 1963, as a result of a recommendation from the Ministry of
Health, vaccination of infants is now carried out about the age of one
year and follows other immunisation procedures instead of during the
first few months of life. As a result of this change in age, the number
of vaccinations carried out in very young infants during 1963 was considerably
less than in previous years but by the end of the year the
vaccination of children at the age of one year was proceeding at about
the same level as previously.