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occurred within fourteen days after childbirth or miscarriage".
The stricter control over mild pyrexia is reflected in a higher
number of notifications. The case rate was 23.03 per thousand
total births compared with 18.23 per thousand total births for
England and Wales.
The early notification of Puerperal Pyrexia is of primary
importance in the prevention of maternal mortality. Medical
Practitioners should make the fullest use of the consultant,
bacteriological and hospital services and ensure the effective
isolation of any case suspected of infection and occurring in a
maternity or nursing home.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever. No Case was notified within
the Borough. Five symptom free excretors of Bacillus Paratyphosus
B. were found among children who attend Green Lane School, Worcester
Park, where an outbreak of nine cases of Paratyphoid Fever in
pupils residing in adjoining districts occurred in November.
Eleven- symptom free excretors were found in adjoining districts.
The outbreak was due to infection of food of carrier origin. The
spread of the outbreak was prevented by the early detection and
treatment of cases and of symptom free excretors. In the extensive
investigations there was close co-operation between the district
Medical Officers of Health, the School Medical Officer, the Medical
Practitioners of the area, the Public Health Laboratory Service,
the teachers and the parents of the children.
Dysentery. Sixty cases were notified compared with forty
three cases in 1952. Fifty eight were of the Sonne type. Eight
cases occurred within an institution for children. Of these two
were of the Flexner type. An outbreak of sixteen cases occurred
between the 3rd June and 13th June and was attributable to a
carrier in a food shop. Secondary infections continued until the
27th July, involving a school and a nursery school. There were
thirteen sporadic cases of obscure origin, three of whom contracted
infection outside the Borough.
Sonne Dysentery is endemic and the control of the unknown
carrier will only become effective when the habit of washing hands
after the use of the W. C. and before handling food is generally
adopted and strictly applied.