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(j) Puerperal Fever.—13 cases were notified during the year.
10 of these were treated at the Isolation Hospital (of which 3 died);
1 at the London Hospital; 1 at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, which
died; and 1 was nursed at home and died.
There were transferred to this district 2 notifications of death
— 1 at Queen Mary's Hospital and 1 at Oldchurch Hospital.
Thirteen oases of Puerperal Fever were notified. Of these five died.
Four of these died in hospital, were baeteriologically examined, and the
infection found to be due to haemolytie streptococci. One of the remaining
cases died at home was not bacteriologically examined.
Of the 13 cases in which a swab was taken from the nurse in attendance,
one showed the presence of haemolytie streptococci; in a second case which
died, the patient was nursed by a monthly nurse who had been associated
with a case of Puerperal Fever, whilst a swab from the person in daily
attendance showed haemolytie streptococci.
In a third case, the swabs from the nurse and doctor showed the presence
of haemolytie streptococci. In a fifth case the swab from the nurse showed
the presence of haemolytie streptococci.
In a sixth case, the swab from the nurse showed the presence of
haemolytie streptococci. The patient's mother, who was in the house with
her, developed septic tonsillitis and a swab from her gave a pure culture
of haemolytie streptococci.
In a seventh case, the swab from the keeper of the nursing home showed
haemolytie streptococci.
These cases show the means of throat infection in the causation of
puerperal fever and the need that all those in attendance in a case of confinement
should wear masks to cover efficiently the mouth and nose.
(k) Puerperal Pyrexia.—15 notifications were received, 1 being
subsequently diagnosed as puerperal fever, and removed to the
Isolation Hospital.
The remaining 14 were suffering from the following conditions:—