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
Holborn 1923
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health, for the year 1923
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72
Ophthalmia neonatorum is one of the most important causes of blindness.
Although fortunately all the cases in the Borough coming to our notice last year
were cured, this result was the consequence of the expenditure of much time
and energy and indirectly money by all concerned; the occurrence of most, if not
all of the cases could have been prevented by a simple procedure. A year or so ago
the Scottish Board of Health issued a circular to medical practitioners "strongly
recommending the installation of silver nitrate solution into the eyes of newlyborn
children and intimating that they will in future require a report with
particulars of treatment from Medical Officers of Health in all cases in which
there occurs loss of vision. In this country the installation has been recommended
with fortunate results by at least several Medical Officers of Health to those
attending childbirths in their areas, but legislation in some form advocating or
requiring its adoption generally is required so that the whole country may benefit.
During the year the advantages of sending suitable cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum to St. Margaret's Hospital for in-patient treatment was brought to
the notice of those concerned by means of a circular letter.
Measles.
The notification of measles was discontinued at the end of 1919, but during
the last year I received information of 75 cases of measles. Of these 40 were
notified by school teachers, 18 by medical practitioners, 16 by the M.A.B. after
admission to hospital and one was found by the Health Visitor. Three other
children died and we learnt of the cases through the Registrar, all were certified
as dying from measles; two of them suffered from both measles and diphtheria.
An outbreak of measles commenced in the Borough about November 7th.
Age.
7 were under 1 year.
45 were between 1 and 5 years.
21 were between 5 and 16 years.
2 were over 16.
Contacts.
(72 enquiries).
17 had no contacts, the L.C.C. definition of a contact being used.
55 had contacts, the number of contacts were 242, of whom 101 were susceptible, 141 having already suffered from an attack.
| No. of cases and | 12 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| No. of contacts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| No. of cases and | 21 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| No. of susceptible contacts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Spread in Family.
The 75 cases occurred in 62 families. In 53 families 1 case occurred, in
6 families 2 cases occurred, in 2 families 3 cases occurred and in 1 family 4 cases.