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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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9 [1933
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.
87 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified, compared with 94 cases
last year.
126 cases of Ophthalmia were reported by the London County Council and
Health Visitors as against 124 cases during the previous year.
15 out of the 87 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were attended at birth by
rnidwives.
The cases occurred in the sub-registration districts as follows :—
| Tufnell. | Upper Hollo-way. | Toll-ington. | Lower Hollo-way. | Highbury. | Barns-bury. | South East. | The Borough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum. | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 29 | 87 |
| Ophthalmia. Cases reported by L.C.C. | 8 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 7 | 30 | 39 | 110 |
| Cases reported by Health Visitors | 4 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 16 |
Of the 87 cases investigated, both of the infants' eyes were affected in 61
instances, whilst in 14 the right eye was involved, and in 12 the left.
Treatment.—22 of the 87 Ophthamia Neonatorum cases were admitted to
St. Margaret's Hospital, 30 being treated at other Hospitals.
26 cases were treated at home by private Doctors.
23 cases of inflammatory disease of infants' eyes were nursed by the North
London Nursing Association for the Council at a cost of £20 18s. Od. In 1932
30 cases were nursed at the cost of £33 4s. Od.
Results .—Of the 87 Ophthalmia Neonatorum cases, vision was unimpared in all cases except 3.
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum Cases. | Vision unimpaired. | Vision impaired. | Total Blindness. | Deaths. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notified. | Treated. | |||||
| At home. | In hospital. | |||||
| 87 | 26 | 61 | 84 | 3 | Nil | 2 |
MATERNAL DEATHS.
The number of women dying in, or in consequence of, child-birth during the
year 1933 was 25, or 5.3 per 1,000 registered (live and still) births. Of this
number 5 occurred from Sepsis (Puerperal Septicaemia); whilst 20 died from other
causes (see table).