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It will be seen that all the cases of ophthalmia recovered without any injury to sight during 1925,
with the exception of one still under treatment in which it is reported from hospital that the sight
has been saved. In this case there is no information as to whether there has been any impairment
of vision.
Every case during the years 1924, 1923 and 1922 recovered without any impairment of vision.
These very gratifying results are largely due to the efforts made by the Council's Health Officers
to secure hospital treatment for these cases, and to the excellent arrangements which the Borough
Council have entered into with the Kensington District Nursing Association for the home treatment
of this disease.
Quite apart from the intense pain and suffering associated with ophthalmia and the possible
tragedy to the child of blindness for life, there is the economic side to be considered. The charges
on rates and taxes for the education and maintenance of one blind person throughout life must
represent an enormous sum and, in view of the fact that more than 30 per cent, of the children
in blind institutions have lost their sight as a result of ophthalmia neonatorum, the grant of £200
paid last year to the Kensington District Nursing Association by the Council must be regarded
as an economy of the wisest kind.
Puerperal Fever.—The incidence of this disease has been light during the past two
years, in each of which five cases were notified. Three notified cases in 1925 were admitted to
hospital where they died. One of the remaining cases was admitted to a nursing home and the
other to St. Mary Abbot's Hospital and both made satisfactory recoveries.
A number of women were sent into St. Mary Abbot's Hospital immediately following an increase
of temperature shortly after confinement and they received prompt surgical treatment with the
result that signs and symptoms abated and satisfactory recoveries were secured It is possible
that some of these may have become definite cases of puerperal fever in the absence of this treatment.
Arrangements for the early admission to St. Mary Abbot's Hospital of suspicious cases of this
disease were discussed fully in my report for 1922 and are referred to in this report in the section
on Maternal Mortality.
Pneumonia and Influenzal Pneumonia.—There are many forms of pneumonia, but
the only kinds notifiable are acute primary pneumonia and influenzal pneumonia. One hundred and
thirty-eight notifications were received, 102 patients being certified as suffering from acute primary
pneumonia and 36 from influenzal pneumonia. It is clear that many cases escaped notification.
The number of deaths from pneumonia during the year was 219. There were 44 deaths
certified to be due to influenza, the deaths from this disease in the three preceding years being
86, 46 and 67.
The Sanitary Inspectors and, if necessary, the Women Health Officers visited the homes of all
notified cases of pneumonia with a view to giving assistance in connection with isolation,
disinfection, etc.