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111
Ophthalmia neonatorum is one of the most important causes of blindness.
Fortunately, however, no case coming to our knowledge last year in the Borough
suffered permanent injury in this way.
This result was secured by the expenditure of much time and energy, and incidentally
money, by all concerned; the occurrence of most, if not all, of the cases could have been
prevented by a simple procedure. Three or four years ago the Scottish Board of Health
issued a circular to medical practitioners strongly recommending the installation of silver
nitrate solution into the eyes of newly-born 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 occur 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.
Whooping Cough.
Visits were paid to 136 persons suffering from whooping cough. Of these,
104 were notified by doctors; in 9 others the information was derived from the
schools; 3 from Health Visitors; 20 from the M.A.B.
Five died, between the age of 1 and 5 years.
Age.
Twenty-three were children under 1 year, eighty-three were aged 1 to 5, and
thirty 5 to 16 years.
Contacts*
(136 enquiries.)
Forty-one had no contacts; 95 had contacts. The number of contacts was
384, of whom 2C6 were susceptible, 118 already having suffered from an attack.
No. of cases 29 16 13 9 7 4.1 2 2 1 3 5 2 1
and
No. of contacts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 1516
No. of cases 30 1710 6 3 4 1 1 2 3 2 2
and
No. of susceptible 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
contacts
Spread of Infection in Family.
The 136 cases occurred in 106 families. In 85 families 1 case occurred; in
14 families 2 cases occurred, and in 5 families 3 casts occurred; and in 2 families
there were three cases.
*This refers to children of and below school age—the L.C.C. definition being used. A
susceptible contact is one who has not already had the disease.