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65
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM
(CONTAGIOUS OPHTHALMIA OF NEWLYBORN
INFANTS).
Ophthalmia neonatorum was made compulsorily notifiable
in the Administrative County of London as from, and
including, March 13th, 1911, by Order made by the London
County Council and duly approved by the Local Government
Board.
During 1912, within the Borough, 76 infants were
notified. Each case was visited by the Health Visitor
and the necessary precautionary measures were taken, removal
to hospital taking place in 2 instances.* All the
infants recovered except one, whose left eye was
destroyed.
The London County Council Medical Inspectors under the
Midwives Act report all cases of inflammation of the eyes
of newly-born babies to the Medical Officers of Health of
the various Metropolitan Districts, i.e., in addition to notifying
cases of ophthalmia neonatorum as they occur.
TUBERCULOSIS.
During 1912, 381 deaths (corrected) were registered in
the Borough as due to phthisis (tuberculosis of the lungs),
8 as due to tabes mesenterica and 32 as due to tubercular
meningitis and hydrocephalus, and 59 as due to other forms
of tuberculosis, making a total of 480 deaths from tuberculosis
(all forms)—i.e., 12.2 per cent. of the total
deaths (corrected) registered from all causes. During the
four quinquennia, 1891-5 (Parish), 1896-1900 (Parish),
1901-5.) (Borough) and 1906-10 (Borough), the yearly
*No special hospital accommodation for cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum has been piovided in London, the general and special
hospitals dealing with the cases in their out-patient and in-patient
departments as required.
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