London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Islington 1932

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]

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9 [1932
REPORT ON MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE WORK.
Municipal Health Visitors.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM AND OPHTHALMIA.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum is an inflammatory disease with purulent discharge
occurring in the eyes of infants within three weeks of birth.
94 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified, compared with 87 cases
last year.
124 cases of Ophthalmia were reported by the London County Council and
Health Visitors as against 128 cases during the previous year.
18 out of the 94 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were attended at birth by
midwives.

Table: The cases occurred in the sub-registration districts as follows

The cases occurred in the sub-registration districts as follows

Tufnell.Upper Holloway.Toll-ington.Lower Holloway.Highbury.Barnsbury.South East.The Borough.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.51131611311794
Ophthalmia. Cases reported by L.C.C.64151883530116
Cases reported by Health Visitors1——124—8

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Of the 94 cases investigated, both of the infants' eyes were affected in 72
instances, whilst in 8 the right eye was involved, and in 14 the left.
Treatment.—19 of the 94 Ophthalmia Neonatorum cases were admitted to
St. Margaret's Hospital, 37 being treated at other hospitals.
38 cases were treated at home by private Doctors.
30 cases of inflammatory disease of infants' eyes were nursed by the North
London Nursing Association for the Council at a cost of £33 4s. Od. In 1931
61 cases were nursed at the cost of £84 17s. Od.

Table: Results.—Of the94OphthalmiaNeonatorum cases, vision was unimpin all cases.

Results.—Of the94OphthalmiaNeonatorum cases, vision was unimpin all cases.

Ophthalmia iNeonatorum Cases.Vision unimpaired.Vision impaired.Total Blindness.Deaths.
Notified.Treated.
At home.hospital.
94385694NilNilNil

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MATERNAL DEATHS.
The number of women dying in, or in consequence of, child-birth during the
year 1932 was 16, or 3.2 per 1,000 registered births. Of this number 7 occurred
from Sepsis Puerperal Septicaemia); whilst 9 died from other disease of childbirth.