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31 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified in the
course of the year. In addition, in another 98 cases, a copy was
received of the medical aid notice sent to the County Medical
Officer of Health by the midwife. No cases, apparently, occurred
where the Doctor was in attendance at birth.
All cases are investigated by the Health Visitors on rcccipt of
information and visited regularly until the eyes arc clear.
Out of the total number, 70 were very slight cases of sticky
eyes, or eyes with a watery discharge. Most of these were clear
within a week. There were none that became very serious, though
10 suffered from definite pus. In the remaining 45, the lids were
affected, l>cing puffy or inflamed or the congcntiva was affected.
For treatment, the same arrangements made by the Local
Authority continued in operation, namely, home treatment carried
out by the local District Nurses and hospital treatment provided at
St. Margaret's Hospital, Hampstead. During the year only one
case required treatment under this schcme, costing £l 2s. 6d.
Pemphigus.
Pemphigus remained on the list of notifiable Infectious
wises. During the year, five cases were notified by medical
Petitioners, four of them having been called in on medical aid
notices. In four cases, the patients were found at the routine
the Health Visitors, two being midwives* cases at which the
'j'Ht apparently was subsequent to the time the midwife ceased
1 (,|jdance ; the other two being cases of infants born in one of the
^iidon General Hospitals. Two cases were first noticed on the
0 'ers bringing the patient to the Infant Welfare Centre.
the cases were distributed throughout the year and followed
the practice of no particular midwife. They occurred amongst 7
differnt midwives, none of whom had, during the year, more than
two cases. All cases were, clinically, of the mild type and recovered.
One child was removed to hospital for treatment.