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15
ophthalmia neonatorum

Last year Maida Vale and Lancaster Gate, West, Wards were the only two with nil
returns. For the whole borough, the rate (per 1,000 births, corrected total) was 11.9, as
compared with 12.9 in 1919, 8.4 in 1920, and an average of 121 for the quinqennium 1914-18.
Attendance at Birth.—Midwives were in charge of the confinements in 13 instances of
ophthalmia last year, equal to 38.2 per cent. of all cases notified, as compared with 63.3 per
cent. in 1919, and 44.8 in 1920. The percentage of all births attended by midwives during
the past year was 42-7, or thereabouts, as compared with 52.5 in 1919, and 47.8 in 1920.
Venereal Disease.—In two instances there was satisfactory evidence that the mothers
were suffering from venereal disease, and the same was suspected in a third. From one infant
a diphtheroid bacillus was recovered, which could not be cultured.
Legitimacy.—Of the infants attacked, 5 (and possibly two others) were illegitimate, equal
to 15.(5 per cent. of the attacks, whereas the proportion of illegitimate births was 7.8 per cent.
of all births. The incidence among illegitimates was, therefore, just twice that among
legitimates.
Order of Birth.—Of the infants attacked, 13 (38.2 per cent.) were first-borns, 3 second,
and 7 third.
Institutional Treatment.—Nine (9) of the notified cases received in-patient treatment,
4 (each) in the Infirmary and Hospitals of the Asylums Board and one at St. Mary.s
Hospital.. The 9 cases were equal to 26.4 per cent. of the total, as compared with percentages
of 27.8 and 37.2 for the periods 1914-18 and 1919-20 respectively.
When a case is not removed to an institution for in-patient treatment, the parents of the
infant are offered the services of the District Nurses. That offer was accepted in 10 instances
during the past year.
Final Result.—In four instances the final state of the infants. eyes was not reported,
owing to the families removing and being untraced in spite of full enquiries, and in 2 others
the infants died before the records were closed. In the remaining 26 instances there was no
damage to the eyes.
"Meningitis" Group.
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis—There were two cases of this disease—both females, one
in Queen.s Park and the other in Westbourne Ward—as compared with one in 1920 and 7
(1 error) in 1919- Of the two cases, one—a woman aged 25, who was admitted to Queen
Charlotte.s Hospital on February 2nd and died next day—was found on post mortem
examination to have suffered from primary pneumococcal meningitis, and the case was
therefore marked as an error. The other case—female aged 3 months—was admitted to
St. Mary.s Hospital on October 25th, and discharged on February 4th of this year.
Acute Poliomyelitis.—One case—male aged one year—was notified from Westbourne
Ward. During 1914-18, 9 cases were reported, and during 1919-20, 7 (including one error.)
Last year.s case was admitted to the Children.s Hospital, Paddington Green, on August 22nd,
and discharged September 27th with some paralysis of the right arm and leg.
Encephalitis Lethargica.—During 1921, 7 cases—4 males and 3 females—were
reported, two being found to be errors. In 1919, 3 cases were reported, and in 1920 2 (both
errors.) An eighth case was known to have occurred in the Borough during the past year,
but the patient—a servant in the Maida Vale Ward—went to her home in Willesden before
the case was diagnosed, and she was treated in the Acton Lane Infirmary.
It may be mentioned here that 10 of the infants were born in institutions, 5 in St. Mary.s Hospitals, 2 (each) in
the Infirmary and Queen Charlotte.s Hospital and one in the Royal Free Hospital.