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Treatment of puerperal Infections by means of sulphonamides and the more recently
Introduced antibiotics frequently results in a rapid and permanent subsidence of the
temperature. Under the old regulations this led to a failure of notification in many cases.
The new regulations make the condition notifiable even if a temperature of 100.4°
Fahrenheit is reached on only one occasion and subsides immediately under treatment. This
is likely to lead to an increase in notifications since although the disease is no longer
notifiable during the third week after confinement the majority of puerperal infections
occur within the first fourteen days after childbirth or miscarriage.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. There were 37 cases of this disease during the year. All
but one of these cases occurred in the maternity unit of a hospital. Cases were reported
at intervals during the year. No definite source of infection was established, but as a
result of general measures designed to prevent cross infection from baby to baby the outbreak
svibsided in December. Fortunately the disease was very mild and complete recovery was
reported in all cases.
MENINGOCOCCAL INTECTION. There were 5 cases of meningococcal infections notified
during the year, of which 2 patients died.
SCARLET FEVER. During the year 282 (133 males and 149 females) cases of scarlet
fever were notified, this being a decrease of 88 on the previous year. The case rate per
1,000 total population was 1.66. There were no deaths from this disease in West Ham.
ERYSIPELAS. The number of cases of this disease notified during the year was 21
(11 males and 10 females) giving a case rate of 0.12 per 1,000 of the population.

The number of deaths from all forms was 58 giving a rate per 1,000 of the population
of 0,34- respiratory (50 deaths) 0.29 and other forms (8 deaths) 0.05. The rates for
England and Wales, and 126 County Borough and Great Towns, for all forms of tuberculosis
were respectively 0.31 and O.37.
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