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25
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
The following information relating to this disease is given at the
special request of the Ministry of Health.
Total cases notified by medical practitioners 7
„ „ midwives —
Number treated at home 2
„ in hospital 5
Vision unimpaired 7
„ impaired —
Total Blindness —
Number of Deaths —
Small-pox.
No case was notified during the year.
Vaccination.
Of the total births dealt with in 1924 by the Vaccination Officer
amounting to 1343, 741 were successfully vaccinated. In 12 cases the
children were insusceptible of vaccination. In regard to 261, certificates
of Conscientious Objection were obtained; 38 died before
vaccination was performed; 33 cases of vaccination were postponed,
and 258 remained to be dealt with.
I am indebted to the Vaccination Officer for these statistics.
The steady increase in the number of citizens unprotected by
vaccination against small-pox, continues year by year. There can be
be no doubt but that comparative immunity for so many years from
this loathsome disease has largely robbed it of its terrors.
There does not appear, however, to be much likelihood of a change
in public opinion on this question unless we are visited by an outbreak,
in which case the large unvaccinated population would prove to be a
grave danger to the community.
Tuberculosis.
Notification.
During the year 1924, 125 new cases of Tuberculosis were notified,
100 being cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, and 25 other forms of the
disease.
The following statistical table, prescribed by the Ministry of
Health, gives an analysis of the newly notified cases and deaths during
1924:-