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82
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1911.
Classes for
midwives.
These results summarised are as follow :—
Blind in both eyes 3 cases.
Blind in one eye, other damaged 1 case.
Blind in one eye, other uninjured 4 cases.
Both eyes damaged 2 „
One eye damaged 3 „
In 8 of the 13 cases where impairment of vision resulted; the onset of symptoms occurred on or
before the fifth day of life. In 6 instances among the 13 there was a history of vaginal discharge in the
mother.
The 278 cases of inflammation of the eyes occurred in the practices of 135 midwives.
1 midwife and her assistant had 19 cases during the year 19
1 midwife had 9 cases during the year 9
2 midwives each had 7 cases during the year 14
2 ,, „ 6 ,, ,, 12
4 „ „5 „ „20
12 „ „ 4 „ „ 48
9 „ „ 3 „ „ 27
25 „ „2 „ „ 50
79 ,, „ 1 case „ 79
135 278
All the midwives who had three or more cases during the year have extensive practices, and it
was found that many of the cases reported were very slight and the eyes were normal in a few days.
So far as could be ascertained there was no evidence that infection was carried from one case to another.
The Council had under consideration the question of hospital treatment for severe cases and
an endeavour was made to secure accommodation for the mother and infant so that while the child
was being treated it would not be deprived of the advantage of being breast-fed.
The ophthalmic hospitals and the general hospitals had difficulty in providing such accommodation,
but in some instances both mother and child were admitted to the poor-law infirmaries. Of the
cases occurring in the practice of midwives during the year, in 12 instances mother and child were
admitted to hospitals or infirmaries and in 20 cases the child alone was admitted ; 101 other cases were
treated by the ophthalmic and general hospitals as out-patients.
In March the Council made an order extending the provisions of section 55 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, to ophthalmia neonatorum. Of the 673 cases notified from that time until the
end of the year, 188 were in the practice of midwives.
The Council has arranged classes for the further instruction of midwives at four centres in
London. These classes are attended by midwives who have been in practice for many years, and
also to some extent by pupils to supplement the training they are receiving elsewhere.
Midwives showing lack of knowledge of their work have been advised by the Council's inspectors
to attend these classes.