London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
St Pancras 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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115
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
By 1920 the incidence had reached 11, and this remained the approximate figure for several years.
| Form as Desired by Ministry of Health. | Additional Information. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases | Vision not Impaired. | Vision Impaired. | Total Blindness. | Deaths. | Incidence Rate per 1,000 Births. | District Nurse in Attendance provided by Borough Council. | Cases treated in Special Hospital provided by L.C.C. | |||
| Notified. | Treated | |||||||||
| At Home. | In Hospital. | |||||||||
| 1938 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 22 | – | – | – | 9. | 9 | 11 |
| 1937 | 27d | 16 | 11 | 23 | – | 1 | 1e | 11. | 11 | 9 |
| 1936 | 32a | 15 | 16 | 26 b | 1 | – | 3c | 13. | 7 | 11 |
| 1935 | 23* | 11 | 12 | 211 | – | – | – | 9. | 7 | 10 |
| 1934 | 33 | 17 | 16 | 31 | – | – | 2g | 13. | 14 | 15 |
| 1933 | 42 | 23 | 19 | 40§ | – | – | 2 | 16. | 14 | 19 |
| 1932 | 74 | 56 | 18 | 73 | – | – | 1 | 27. | 30 | 15 |
| 1931 | 45 | 26 | 19 | 43+ | – | – | – | 15. | 18 | 14 |
| 1930 | 31‡ | 23 | 8 | 30 | – | – | 1* | 9. | 17 | 6 |
| 1929 | 36 | 21 | 15 | 34 | 1 | – | 1* | 11.4. | 11 | 12 |
* Due to other causes. † Several cases removed to unknown addresses. ‡ Excluding one case, information unobtainable.
|| Died from Prematurity, Congenital Heart Disease and Gonorrhœal Ophthalmia.
§ One moved away to unknown address.
¶ (1) Died—Prematurity. Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
(2) Died—Gastro Enteritis. Ophthalmia Neonatorum, Mongolism, Imbecility
g (1) Died—Acute Bronchitis (before eyes had recovered).
(2) Died—Prematurity. Ophthalmia Neonatorum. Gonococcal infection.
* Excluding one case brought to notice other than by notification. Three cases who moved and were not traced before complete
recovery are not included.
a Including one case which came to notice after death. b One moved—unable to trace. c One Prematurity, Gonorrhœa;
one Prematurity ; one Prematurity, Gonorrhoea, Ophthalmia Neonatorum, Jaundice of the Newborn.
d Including two cases which moved to unknown address before recovery, e Prematurity, Ophthalmia Neonatorum
(Gonorrhoea).
In addition to the above, there were 37 cases of Mild Inflammation not notifiable as
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Out of the 22 notifications this year, nine were of "moderate" severity, and
thirteen were returned as "slight."
A purulent discharge from the eyes of an infant occurring within the specified period
given above is required to be notified irrespective of the cause of this condition. Ophthalmia
Neonatorum therefore is not necessarily due to a Gonococcal infection
The purpose of this regulation is to prevent the possibility of delay in the treatment of
gonorrheal conjunctivitis. This most serious condition is responsible for a high proportion of
cases of blindness and is due to infection from the mother.
Amongst the preventive measures to be taken ante-natal examination and treatment
of the mother should be included. This attention was given in all but one case.