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peral pyrexia. In this section notification of the two conditions
are treated together. During- the year the number of notifications
received was 79, which gives a rate of 13.59 Per 1,000 total notified
births. The number of these cases removed to hospital was 59.
This gives a removal rate of 74.70 per cent. The distribution of
cases in the first three quarters of the year was fairly equal (Table
I.), and almost 60 per cent. of the cases occurred in the age group
25—35 years (Table II.). No deaths occurred from puerperal
fever.
The epidemiology of the condition is further discussed under
the heading " Maternal Mortality " in the section on Vital
Statistics.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
This disease, the duty of notifying which was, under the
Public Health (Ophthalmia Neonatorum) Regulations, 1926,
placed solely upon the medical practitioner in charge of the case,
consists of a purilent discharge from the eye of an infant occurring
within twenty-one days of birth.
The number of cases of this condition which were notified
during the year 1937 was 10. This gives a case rate of 1.78 per
1,000 total notified live births. Five of the cases were removed to
hospital. No case occurred in the first quarter of the year; in the
succeeding three quarters the number of cases notified were 5, 1,
and 4 respectively. There were no deaths.
Further notes on these cases appear in the section on
Maternity and Child Welfare.
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