[Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, King's Norton & Northfield U.D.C.

King's Norton and Northfield (England). Urban District Council.

Date:: 1907

Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, King's Norton & Northfield U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Of these deaths, 3 took place in the Union Infirmary, of residents of this district. The death rate worked out at 41*7 per cent., but this high average must be to a large extent coincidental, owing to the small number of cases dealt with. In only one household did a second case crop up. Seven of the patients were between 5-15 years of age, and three were over 25 years. There were four cases each in Selly Oak and Stirchley Wards and two in King's Heath. Direct infection was only definitely known in one case, shellfish in one or two instances was suspected, and neither water or milk was put down as the carrier of the germs in any instance. As a rule the patient had probably been infected, more or less, directly from some undiscovered case, and several infec¬ tions had been acquired outside the district. Erysipelas. There were 60 cases of erysipelas notified, 9 less than in 1906. Of this total, 39 cases were from Selly Oak Ward, including' 15 from Bournbrook, and 14 from Sellv Oak. There were notifications from every Ward except North- field and Beoley. Four deaths were notified, all adults, two of whom belonged to King’s Norton and two to Selly Oak Ward. Of the notified cases, 52 were adults and 1 an infant under one year of age. Peurperal Fever. There were sent in four notifications of puerperal fever, commonly known as “ child bed fever.” In 1906 there were two cases. Two of the patients resided in Bournbrook and one each in Moseley and Stirchley. The only fatal case was attended by a medical man, and was in Moseley. The other three cases were midwives’ patients, and all were at once reported to the County Administrative Authorities. The midwives were suspended, visited by the County In¬ spector, and not allowed to return to their work until thorough disinfection of their clothing and instruments had been accomplished. In one or two instances midwives were admonished by the county officials about slight breaches of the rules, but no serious neglect was discovered, and no permanent suspension found necessary. West Heath Hospital. There were admitted during the twelve months 418 cases, of which 387 were admitted as scarlet fever, and 31 as diph¬ theria .