View report page

72
This was brought to light very prominently in a case iu the
district some little while ago which was not notified by the doctor in
attendance, but was sent into an Institution as a case of child bed
fever. The Medical Officer of the Institution notified it as a case
of Puerperal Fever promptly. My own feeling is that if some
machinery could be devised whereby cases of rise of temperature
could be dealt with under some other name than Puerperal Fever
so that all cases came to the cognisance of some Central Authority
such as the M. 0. H., whereby they could obtain Institutional treatment
or expert advice, I am sure that medical men would welcome
such a scheme as it would obviate having to make the diagnosis and
notification of eases of Puerperal Fever. They have a considerable
number of cases of rise of temperature, and these would be dealt
with at the earliest possible moment. As it is there is now a very
definite interval of delay until the temperature assumes such
severity as warrants the reluctant practitioner in notifying the
case as one of Puerperal Fever.
There are few Medical Officers of Health who have been in
general practice and who are able to see the thing from the general
practitioner's point of view. I happen to be one of the very few
whole time officers who have had a considerable number of years in
a large general practice on my own account. I know the position
from the general practitioner's point of view and am able to sympathise
entirely with his position in the matter, and I believe that
if we can devise some better scheme than that existing at present
it may be to the definite benefit of the puerperal woman.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
See also special report, pages 81—144.
There were 17 cases notified this year, two of which proved
fatal. One case was notified from the West Middlesex Hospital.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
No cases of this disease were notified.