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

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Poplar 1912

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]

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14
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Notifications ; Interpretation of the Term Ophthalmia Neonatorum
; Correspondence with the Local Government Board.
Notifications of Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Thirty-four cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified during
the year, see Tables XXV.-XXVIII., 15 Poplar, 10 Bromley and 9 Bow.
Upon receipt of a notification the case is immediately visited by one
of the Health Visitors.
Interpretation of the Term Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Correspondence with the Local Government Board.
[Copy.]
November 14th, 1912.
Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Sir,
It has come to my notice that there is a difference of opinion
as to the class of case which should be notified as Ophthalmia
Neonatorum.
In some parts of London and even in some of the hospitals,
cases of Ophthalmia are not notified unless they are due to the
gonococcus of gonorrhæl origin.
Is it not possible in the interests of humanity for the Local
Government Board to obtain the opinion of the Royal Colleges of
Surgeons and Physicians, in the same way as I believe was done
in Puerperal Fever and Cerebro-spinal Meningitis, for a definition
as to Ophthalmia Neonatorum ?