View report page

43
Number of cases notified—
By medical practitioners 33
By midwives or nurses 8
Number removed to hospital 5
All cases of ophthalmia neonatorum notified are at once visited
by the Health Visitors, and every care is taken to see that they are
receiving medical treatment either at home or at hospital. Nursing
attendance is provided gratuitously where cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum are being treated at home.
The importance of securing hospital treatment in suitable cases
in the special hospital provided for the purpose by the Metropolitan
Asylums Board has been impressed upon medical practitioners
by letter from time to time. Owing to the objection, in many cases,
of the mother to go into hospital with her baby, or, alternatively,
to be separated from it, the use made of the facilities provided at
St. Margaret's Hospital is slight. The majority of cases are, therefore,
treated at home or at the out-patient departments of General
Hospitals.
During 1924 the total number of visits paid by the Nurses
supplied by the Council in cases of ophthalmia neonatorum or other
forms of inflammation of the eyes in infants, was 2,676. In addition,
244 visits were made by the Health Visitors. These figures
indicate the importance of the work the valuable results of
which are shown in the, happily, very rare occurrence nowadays in
Battersea of a case of permanent damage to the eyesight or even
total blindness—a not infrequent sequel in the past.
All cases notified during 1924 recovered without permanent
damage to sight.
Bacteriological Examinations.
During 1924, the number of bacteriological examinations of
specimens sent in by medical practitioners practising in Battersea
was 1,630. These specimens are examined at the laboratories of
the Clinical Research Association, Watergate House, Adelphi, Strand,
W.C., and include diphtheria, enteric, and other diseases. The
cost of these examinations is defrayed by the Council The examination
of Tuberculosis specimens is now carried out at the Tuberculosis
Dispensary, that institution having been taken over by the
Council from the Central Fund in 1921.