View report page

63
In addition to the above the following section of the rules of the
Central Midwives' Board was rigorously enforced:
"Whenever a midwife has been in attendance upon a patient
suffering from puerperal fever or from any other illness supposed to
be infectious, she must disinfect herself and all her instruments and
other appliances, to the satisfaction of the local Sanitary Authority,
and must have her clothing thoroughly disinfected before going to
another labour. Unless otherwise directed by the supervising
authority, all washable clothing should be boiled, and other clothing
should be sent to be stoved (by the local Sanitary Authority), and
then exposed freely to the open air for several days."
The keeping of temperature charts during the puerperal period, as
practised by the midwives, has proved of immense benefit in helping
to direct the attention of the midwife to the possibility of puerperal
complications, and enables her to recognise the necessity of calling in
medical assistance at the earliest indication of danger.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
This is an extremely serious affection which attacks the eyes of
newly-born infants. It is usually caused by the entrance of certain
bacteria into the eyes at the time of birth, and if proper treatment is
not applied immediately the eyes are permanently damaged and the
child is rendered blind for life.
The extent to which this disease is prevalent in this country is
shown by the statements made by well-known authorities that over
one-third of the inmates of schools for the blind lost their sight as
a result of this disease. On the other hand, it is no less certain that,
if this disease is brought under efficient treatment when the symptoms
first make their appearance, the eyes can be saved from serious injury,
and the sight preserved.
Nineteen cases were notified during the year, and were visited by
the Health Visitor. Five of the cases were in the East Ward, eight
in the North Ward, one in the North-West Ward, two in the South
Ward, two in the South-East Ward, and one in the South-West Ward.
Spotted Fever.
EPIDEMIC CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS.
Posterior basal meningitis is included in the term "cerebro-spinal
fever," but does not include meningitis due to tuberculosis, syphilis,
middle ear disease, and injury.