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157
[1912
1907.
1908.
1909.
1910.
1911.
1912.
Total
Cases.
Total
Deaths
1907-12
1st quarter 2 2 3 4 1 12 8
2nd „ 3 2 3 7 4 6 25 10
3rd „ 5 2 1 3 3 14 11
4th „ 3 3 3 4 2 3 18 12
11 7 10 15 13 13 69 41
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Thirty-two cases of this ailment, which is so fruitful a cause of blindness
in young persons, were notified. Indeed, it was for the purpose of bringing
home to persons their responsibility in this matter that this disease was made
notifiable. One shudders to think of the enormous amount of blindness which,
in the past, has been caused by the neglect of this disease, not merely in this
country, but throughout the world. It, therefore, became a burning question
everywhere as to what could be done to prevent so much unnecessary blindness,
and now at last the disease has been made notifiable in England and in some
parts of the United States; indeed, some of the Health Authorities of the
United States make extraordinary efforts to combat it, as they feel that no
stone should be left unturned to prevent these unfortunate infants being
deprived of the blessing of sight. What such a deprivation means can only be
appreciated by those who have lost it or never seen.the light.
In every instance when a birth is notified, or when a case of Ophthalmia
Neonatorum is notified, a document, of which the following is a copy, is left
with the mother of the infant:—