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14
Poliomyelitis

Puerperal Pyrexia
The Puerperal Pyrexia Regulations 1951, replacing the 1939
regulations came into operation on the 1st August 1951. It had
been found that the then existing definition of the condition was
ambiguous and, in addition, the use of various drugs now freely
available may have the effect of reducing temperature promptly and
so of preventing an infection from becoming notifiable because the
raised temperature was not maintained or did not recur. There
may thus have been a greater risk of spread of infection from such
cases in maternity hospitals if the case did not become notifiable
and so subject to the ordinary measures of control. With these
considerations in mind a new and more precise definition was
introduced.
The new definition of puerperal pyrexia is any febrile condition
occurring in a woman in whom a temperature of 100.40 Fahrenheit
(380 Centigrade) or more has occurred within fourteen days
after childbirth or miscarriage.
Dysentery
During the year there were 112 notifications of Sonne
Dysentery. Many of these cases were of a mild character and in
earlier years would have been passed over as non-specific diarrhoea.
With the present laboratory facilities for faeces examination,
it usually is possible to establish the cause which is
most often the Sonne bacillus.
In December there was an explosive outbreak of dysentery in
a school in the adjoining borough of Hornsey. Tottenham children
attending the school were visited and faeces specimens obtained