View report page

115
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. Some 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 105 persons suffering from whooping cough. Of these,
149 were notified by doctors; in 22 others the information was derived from the
schools; 11 from health visitors; 13 from the M.A.B.
Seven died, between the age of 1 and 5 years.
Age.
Twenty were children under 1 year, 113 were aged 1 to 5, and 62, 5 to 16 years.
Contacts*
(195 enquiries.)
Eighty had no contacts; 115 had contacts. The number of contacts was
549, of whom 333 were susceptible. 216 already having suffered from an attack.
No. of cases 24 38 12 9 6 12 3 1 3 2 9 2 1 1 1 1
and
No. of contacts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19
No. of cases 29 31 15 4 4 4 3 3 5 1 1 1
and
No. of suscept- 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13
ible contacts
Spread of Infection in Family.
The 195 cases occurred in 145 families. In 109 families 1 case occurred; in
25 families 2 cases occurred, and in 12 families 3 cases occurred.
Removal.
Seventy-seven children were removed to hospital, approximately 40 per cent.
All these were admitted to hospitals of the M.A.B.
*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.