[Report 1924] / Medical Officer of Health, East Riding of Yorkshire County Council.

  • East Riding of Yorkshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1924
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1924] / Medical Officer of Health, East Riding of Yorkshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/54 (page 15)
    vaccination. It is possible that as the present type of small-pox is of a mild character the public do not trouble about vaccination. If this is so, then the presence of a more virulent type, although very unwelcome, might prove to be a blessing in disguise, in that it would give the necessary impetus to a public demand for compulsory vaccination and re-vaccination, which would entirely prevent the disease. ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA. Ten cases of this disease were notified, compared with only two in the previous year. Five of the cases occurred in the urban districts and five in the rural. Three deaths were recorded, two males and one female. Two of these fatal cases occurred in children under fifteen years of age. The accurate diagnosis of this disease is very difficult without the assistance of laboratory diagnosis, for the disease is likely to be con- founded with meningitis, either simple or tubercular. PUERPERAL FEVER. Eleven cases were notified, compared with 4 in 1923 and 1 in 1922. There were 8 deaths. This figure is very high. In one case no one was in attendance on the mother, an unmarried woman, at the time of birth. This case was the subject of an inquest. In three of the remaining cases attendance was by a certificated midwife, another case was attended by a doctor and a maternity nurse, and the remaining six cases were attended by a doctor only. The puerperal fever death-rate for the County for the decennium 1914-23 was 1.0 per 1,000 registered births, but for the year under review it was 2.G. OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. Eight notifications of this disease were received, compared with 7 in the previous year. None of the notified cases are reported as having any permanent visual defect as a result of the disease. All notified cases are enquired into by the County Health Visitors, except those which occur in the Boroughs of Beverley and Bridlington. These authorities are responsible for their own infant welfare work.