Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1936
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TABLE No. 44. Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
| Cases. | Vision Unimpaired. | Vision Impaired. | Total Blindness. | Deaths. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. Notified. | Treated. | |||||
| At Home. | In Hospital. | |||||
| 7 | 3 | 5* | — | — | 1 | |
*One case removed from Borough, information not available.
Two cases of the disease were notified in the previous year.
Nursing—By arrangement with the Chelsea District Nursing Association,
home nursing is provided for infants suffering from this disease.
In addition to notified cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum, four cases of
inflammation of the eyes were reported by the Medical Officer of
Health of the London County Council. These cases were visited by the
Health Visitors and action taken where necessary.
POLIOMYELITIS AND POLIO-ENCEPHALITIS.
Two cases of Poliomyelitis were notified during the year. One of
these, a non-resident, was notified from a Chelsea Hospital. The remaining
case, a girl aged 9 years, was still receiving treatment at end of the year.
No case of polio-encephalitis was notified.
ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA.
No case of Encephalitis Lethargica was notified during the year.
Fifteen visits to old cases of Encephalitis Lethargica were made by the
Woman Sanitary Inspector.
Encephalitis Lethargica is undoubtedly infectious, but the infectivity
is of very low nature. The sequelæ may be serious, as in most cases
some permanent damage to the brain tissue occurs. The disease was
made compulsorily notifiable from 1st January, 1919.
Deaths.—There was no death from this disease during the year.
CHICKEN POX.
With the approval of the Ministry of Health, the Borough Council
under Section 55 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, made the
disease known as chicken pox notifiable in the Borough on, and from,
the 12th August, 1929.
One hundred and sixty-five notifications were received during the year.
Of these, 12 were treated in hospital.
SMALL POX.
No case of small pox was notified in Chelsea during the year. Appropriate
action was taken as regards contacts of cases notified in other
boroughs.