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45
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
been in the country, but owing to her early death no definite information could be obtained as
to her movements. Microscopical examination of the spinal cord of this patient showed the
changes typical of the disease.
The family of the first patient occupied the basement of the house, the first and second
floors of which were reported to be verminous. There was no suspicion of vermin at the house
where the second patient was employed, but nothing can be said of the houses in the country at
which she stayed.
ANIMAL DISEASES.
These include glanders and hydrophobia. No case of either was reported in man during
the year, and only one outbreak of glanders in a horse—one of a stud of three horses. That
case was reported in November. The horse was slaughtered, but enquiries made by the
inspector failed to elicit any information as to the mallein test being applied to the other horses.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Twenty-two cases were reported during the past year, as compared with 31 in 1912, the first
complete year of notification. There were 2 other cases of slight inflammation of the eyes
known to the Department which were not deemed to amount to ophthalmia. The 22 cases
were equally divided between the two sexes. The morbidity rate last year was 7.28 per 1,000
births, 3.89 less than the rate recorded in 1912 (11.17). The morbidity rate for males was 7.14
(9 84 in 1912), and that for females 7.44 (12.57 in 1912). The cases notified during each quarter of
the past two years were as follow:—1st qr., 1913, 9 ; 1912, 9 : 2nd qr., 1913, 3 ; 1912, 7 : 3rd,
qr., 1913, 6 ; 1912, 9 : 4th qr., 1913, 4 ; 1912, 6. The morbidity rates observed in the individual
Wards are given below, but it has to be explained that the rates entered for Westbourne Ward are
not strictly comparable with those of the other Wards owing to the fact of the Workhouse
Lying-in Wards being situated in that Ward. Cases of ophthalmia occurring in the Lying-in
Wards are not distributed to the addresses whence the mothers were admitted, whereas the
births are so distributed.

Five of the reported cases and the 2 unreported were in the persons of illegitimate
children, the morbidity rates for such children being 32 0 last year, as compared with 566 in
1912. The rates for legitimate children were 9.3 in 1913 and 81 in 1912. Three cases (all in
illegitimate children) were reported from the Workhouse, where 5 cases occurred in 1912. In
1912 it was reported that the births of 22 of the 31 infants reported with ophthalmia had been
attended by midwives. Last year the number was 19 out of 22 ; in other words, the midwives'
cases constituted close on 71 per cent. of the total in 1912, and just over 86 per cent. in 1913.
Some doubt exists as to the completeness of notification of cases in private practice, a doubt
which appears to be confirmed by the disproportion of cases among legitimate children reported
by the officers of the County Council, the supervising authority of midwives. Nine notifications
were received from that source during the year relating to legitimate children, and 1 to
illegitimate. From medical practitioners 8 certificates were received relating to legitimate and
4 to illegitimate children, including the 3 born in the Workhouse. The doubt cannot be cleared
up in the absence of information as to the proportions of all births attended respectively by
midwives and practitioners.