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Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
There were again no eases of this eye infection of the new born.
Modern chemotherapy has almost abolished this disease.
Puerperal Pyrexia.
Notifications of a rise in temperature during childbirth at 47, were
the same as in the year before. As previously explained, most of
these notifications come from the St. Helier Hospital, which has a
large maternity department catering for a large part of Surrey and
where the abnormal or potentially abnormal cases form the priority
group for admission.
Fourteen of the total were in respect of residents of Carshalton
and 34 were first pregnancies. All recovered.
Food Poisoning.
Two adult members of a family were taken suddenly ill with
sickness and diarrhoea two or three hours after an evening meal, at
which tinned veal was eaten. Bacteriological investigation in hospital
showed that both patients suffered from bacillus typhi-murium infection.
Both recovered. None of the meat remnants or the empty
tin were available for examination and so the suspicion which attached
to the tinned meat could not be confirmed.
In March, a number of school children and teachers were taken ill
with intestinal symptoms following the mid-day meal, supplied from
one of the school canteens. After some hours of sickness and diarrhoea
they all recovered. Bacteriological investigation into the available
commodities eaten and of the patients failed to identify any infection,
but the inquiries served to remedy some defects in the technique of the
catering arrangements.
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