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
Islington 1920
Sixty-fifth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
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33
[1920
Acute Encephalitis Lethargica and Acute Polio-Encephalitis.
These diseases became notifiable under an Order of the Local Government
Board on the 1st January, 1919, and during the year 8 cases of Acute
Encephalitis Lethargica were notified, 4 of which proved fatal. 7 cases of
Acute Polio-Encephalitis were also known in the Borough, but there was no
fatal case.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Purulent Disease of the Eyes of Newly-born Children.
This inflammatory disease of the eyes of infants was notified in
142 instances, of which 78 were attended by Doctors and 48 by Midwives;
whilst 8 cases were reported by the London Couuty Council, and 8 by the
Health Visitors; and as a result 88 cases were referred to Hospitals for
treatment, while 54 were attended to in their homes. Midwives attended 83
cases, and undertook the care of the infants affected. As the result of visits
by the Health Visitors, the Council provided Nurses in 105 cases at a cost
of £104 13s. Od. This was money well spent, for undoubtedly they have
saved many eyes.
The cases occurred in the sub-registration districts as follows:—
| Tufnell. | Upper Holloway. | Tollington. | Lower Holloway. | Highbury. | Barnsbury. | Islington, South-East. | The Borough. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases notified by Doctor | 7 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 24 | 78 |
| ,, „ by Midwife | 4 | 9* | 13* | 3 | 12 | .. | 7* | 48 |
| ,, reported by L.C.C. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| ,, ,, Health Visitor | .. | .. | .. | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Cases inquired into | 11 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 21 | 19 | 37 | 142 |
| „ treated in Hospital | 6 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 14 | 23 | 88 |
| „ treated at Home | 5 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 54 |
| ,, attended by Nurse | 8 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 8 | 22 | 83 |
* Notifications which were also received from midwives, and had been notified by doctors.
are not included.
Of the 142 cases investigated, both of the infants' eyes were affected in
73 instances; while in 15 cases the right eye was involved and in 10 the lett.
Some of the cases had already recovered at the time of visit by the Health
Visitors; whilst in many cases the infants were either in-patients at hospitals,
or out-patients receiving hospital treatment, and in these cases the affected eyes
were not examined by the Health Visitors.