asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state what rate per 1,000 births do the cases of puerperal fever reported in the years 1930 to 1934, inclusive, represent; what reason is there for the 200 per cent. increase in the notified incidence of that disease between 1930 and 1934; if it is due to some cause other than mere stringent enforcement of notification regulations, and what steps does he intend to take to reduce the incidence of this disease.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Puerperal Fever Cases.
The rate per thousand births represented by the number of cases of puerperal fever notified during each of the years 1930 to 1934, inclusive, is as follows:—
|
Year |
Rate per 1,000 Births Represented by Number of Cases of Puerperal Fever Notified |
|
1930 |
.76 |
|
1931 |
1.29 |
|
1932 |
2.02 |
|
1933 |
2.02 |
|
1934 |
2.19 |
The notification for the year 1930 do not include the cases which occurred in the four county boroughs which were not then notified to this Department. It is clear from the rates of mortality from puerperal sepsis for the above-mentioned years that the main cause of the increased notification rates as between 1930 and 1934 was more stringent enforcement of the duty of notification. The mortality rates per 1,000 births in respect of puerperal fever for these years were:—
|
1930 |
1.39 |
|
1931 |
1.16 |
|
1932 |
1.39 |
|
1933 |
1.39 |
|
1934 |
1.59 |
The increase in the mortality rate from the disease in 1934 as compared with 1930 is therefore only 12½ per cent. The extension of the County Medical Officer of Health system will enable more active supervision of midwifery arrangements to be instituted and Maternity and Child Welfare services to be developed, while the improvements in the General Hospital system will permit of more adequate facilities being provided for maternity cases. It is hoped that these measures will, in due course, enable the incidence of puerperal fever to be substantially reduced.
Would I be right in saying that these figures compare pretty favourably with the public health statistics of Great Britain and other countries where available?
I could not answer that at the moment.