On some statistical indications of a relationship between scarlatina, puerperal fever, and certain other diseases / by G.B. Longstaff.

  • Longstaff, George Blundell, 1849-1921.
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some statistical indications of a relationship between scarlatina, puerperal fever, and certain other diseases / by G.B. Longstaff. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    I have here a small diagram*, which attempts to represent the mutual relationships of the various diseases in the large diagram—the distances between the circles being supposed proportional to the closeness of relationship. Dr. Tbos. C. Minor, of Cincinnati, U.S.A., writing, in 1874, on “ Erysipelas and Child-Bed Fever”,j* says, in refer- ence to the deaths from these two diseases in the United States in 1870 :— , “ 1. Erysipelas and child-bed fever seemed to prevail together throughout all the States. 2. Any marked in- crease, in any one locality, of one disease, was apparently accompanied by a corresponding increase of the other. 3. Where histories of past epidemics, of either disease, were obtainable from any of the States, the apparent connection of the two diseases was noticed by physicians at the time of such epidemics, and remarked on. 4. This relationship indicates that there is an intimate connection existing be- tween child-bed fever and erysipelas, and justifies the inference that in any place where erysipelas is found, there will be found child-bed fever.” Again, referring to an epidemic of child-bed fever in Cincinnati, Dr. Minor says :—■ “ 1. The two diseases, child-bed fever and erysipelas, pre- vailed at the same time, in the same localities. 2. Where an isolated death from child-bed fever was noted outside of the infected districts, a corresponding death from erysipelas was noted in the same locality. This was almost invariably the case. 3. Infants die of erysipelas shortly after or before their parents die of child-bed fever. 4. A few physicians attending child-bed fever cases and erysipelas cases at the same time, as exhibited by the death-register, were the most unfortunate in their practice. 5. Physicians having large obstetric practices, but who were known to be believers in the close connection of child-bed fever and erysipelas, re- turned few death certificates from either causes.” Again, on examining the alleged connection of typhus fever and scarlatina with child-bed fever, Dr. Minor found that:— “1. Epidemic typhus is not always associated with an outbreak of epidemic child-bed fever, or vice versa. 2. Epidemic scarlet fever is very seldom associated with an outbreak of epidemic child-bed fever, or vice versa. 3. Epidemic erysipelas is invariably associated with an out- break of child-bed fever, or vice versa.” * The diagram referred to has not been engraved for the Transactions, f Practitioner, August 1S75.