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but a large number of these cases would not be ophthalmia neonatorum
of the dangerous kind. The cost for these 600 notifications
would be £75.
"Without doubt the expenditure of this £75 would be the
means of saving the sight of a number of eyes. It has been
estimated that forty per cent. of the blindness of the children in the
London County Council schools is due to ophthalmia neonatorum.
"The Medical Officer of Health of the London County Council
stated his authority has two female medical officers, and immediately
upon the receipt of a notice from a midwife that medical aid had
been called in, in cases showing the least inflammation of the eyes,
these medical officers visit the cases.
"The London County Council have an arrangement with three
nursing institutions for these ophthalmic cases to be attended to
and watched where necessary.
"So far this is good in respect of the cases reported to the
London County Council, but what about the cases which have not
been notified, for it must be remembered there is always a grave
danger where medical men are called in that their services may be
dispensed with after a first visit. But as pointed out by the Medical
Officer in his report of 5th July, if there be compulsory notification
these cases would be notified to the Sanitary Authority and the
Health Visitor or a voluntary worker would watch them, and the
responsible persons could be dealt with under the Children Act if
the infants be not cared for properly.''
A letter dated 20th December was received from the Local
Government Board, stating that the Board on that date approved an
Order by the London County Council extending the application of
Section 55 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, in the Administrative
County to ophthalmia neonatorum. A copy of the Order, stating the date
on which it comes into force, has not yet come to hand from the London
County Council. The Order will come into operation one week after a
public advertisement has been made by the London County Council.*
*The Order was made by the London County Council on the 7th February, 1911,
and came into operation on the 13th March, 1911.
D