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In districts in which the disease is already notifiable (Poplar being
one of the districts) a medical practitioner when giving a notification is
required by the Regulations to furnish the additional information to
which reference has been made.
By Article VI. every certified midwife attending on a child whom she
suspects to be suffering from the disease is required to furnish a notification
unless the case has already been notified by a medical practitioner.
The order came into force on the 1st April, 1914.
The Board were advised that general notification of this disease is
desirable. A large proportion of the blindness contracted in childhood
is due to the neglect of proper precautions against the disease, and, in
the Board's view, it is important that Medical Officers of Health should
have early information of all cases.
The following is a copy of a circular letter addressed to the Medical
practitioners and midwives :—
Public Health Offices,
Bow Road, E.
(Corner of Fairfield Road).
23rd February, 1914.
Enclosure.
The Public Health (Ophthalmia Neonatorum) Regulations, 1914.
Notification of Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Notice to Medical Practitioners and Midwives.
Dear Sir or Madam,
The Local Government Board have issued an Order in Reference to the notification
of Ophthalmia Neonatorum, a copy of which is enclosed herewith together with a copy
of the circular letter of the Board with regard to the same.
The Order comes into operation on April 1st, 1914, and I would call your attention
to the definition of Ophthalmia Neonatorum in Article 1 (i) of the Order—" a purulent
discharge from the eyes of an infant commencing within twenty-one days from the date
of its birth."
Notification by Medical Practitioner.
The medical practitioner will notify on the usual form in the ordinary way, but it
will be seen by Article 5 of the Order that the additional information is required, and a
special book of forms is being forwarded to each medical practitioner in order that he
may write the necessary information on a form and attach it to the notification.
Notification by Certified Midwives.
Midwives will notify under Article 6 of the Order and a book of forms is being
forwarded to each certified midwife for her use in notifying cases occurring in her practice.
Transmission of Notifications.
Under Article 7 of the Order notifications are to be forwarded to the Medical Officer
of Health, Public Health Offices, Bow Road (corner of Fairfield Road), E., in sealed
envelopes.
I am, dear Sir or Madam,
Yours faithfully,
Fredk. W. Alexander,
Medical Officer of Health.