Neonatal diarrhoea due to Salmonella paratyphi B.

The infection was introduced into the maternity home by a Mrs. C., who had a bout of diarrhoea and vomiting four days before she was admitted on May 27, her membranes having ruptured prematurely. She was delivered in her own single room within an hour of admission, so was in effect isolated from the outset. As Mrs. C. reported neither her original attack nor the diarrhoea which was continuing her baby was placed in the communal nursery. On June 1, four days later, Baby C. and Baby H., who had been born only 36 hours before, were taken ill. The following day two more infants, Baby K. and Baby S., were ill. All four infants were removed to isolation quarters on June 2. On June 3 the maternity home was closed to further admissions, and by the evening of June 4 the remaining 18 infants had been sent home with their mothers. These infants and the six sent home during the previous week were apparently healthy.