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* The Cheslsea, Pimlico and Belgravia District Nursing Association. The Metropolitan
Nursing Association. The Westminster Nursing Committee.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—23 cases were notified, four of which were
treated in hospital. In addition to these instances of slight inflammation
of the eyes were recorded in 27 infants and appropriate treatment secured.
It is possible that some of these may be the result of infection by syphilis,
gonococcus organisms having an attenuated virulence, and therefore
important that in all such cases the parents should have treatment.
The attention of the medical officers of the ante-natal and post-natal
clinics has been called to this.
Visits were paid by the Health Visitors to all the cases and by
District Nurses called in to assist in 9 cases (133 visits).
Ophthalmia neonatorum became notifiable in March, 1911. In the
pre-war years, ophthalmia was notified in 1-2 per cent, of the infants
born. It increased during the war, reaching 3 per cent, in 1918; since
that year it has declined and during the last 5 years the average is 1 • 4
per cent. Until 1917, figures were not recorded of the milder cases but
from that date the total of notified and mild cases gives the following
rates per 100 births :—
1917 3.2
1918 3.0
1919 2.5
1920 1.5
1921 1.8
1922 2.4
1923 3.4
1924 2.4
In this connection it is of interest to compare the death rate of infants
per 1,000 births from svphilis:—
1901-5 2.8
1906-10 3.2
1911-15 2.4
1916-20 4.95
1921-24 2.36