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26
Examinations by the Council's ophthalmologists
Classification
Certified blind
Not blind
Grand
Total
Male
Female
Total
Male
Female
Total
New cases
271*
455*
726*
115
250
365
1,091*
Previously blind, still blind
53
64
117
–
–
–
117
Previously not blind, now
certified
32
53
85
–
–
–
85
Previously not blind, still not
blind
–
–
–
48
126
174
174
Previously blind, now not blind
–
–
–
16
24
40
40
Total
356*
572*
928*
179
400
579
1,507*
* These figures include 8 boys and 9 girls under 5 years of age.
The standards used are those prescribed by the Ministry of Health (Circular 1353/
5.10.33). The cases 'previously blind, now not blind' are mainly those in which cataracts
have been removed surgically.
Two hundred and forty-nine certificates were accepted from other authorities,
hospitals and private ophthalmologists as follows :
Blind persons 223 (104 male, including 5 children under 5 years ;
119 female, including 1 child under 5 years).
Not blind persons 26 (15 male, 11 female).
The causes of blindness in the 23 children under five years of age who were certified
during the vear were as follow :
Retrolental fibroplasia 7
Congenital, hereditary and development defects 6
Congenital optic atrophy 2
Cataract 2
Birth injury 2
Albinism 1
Encephalitis 1
Meningitis 1
Tubercular meningitis 1
The number of partially-sighted persons recommended for inclusion in the Observation
Register was 343 (104 male, 239 female).
Blind persons examined as to suitability for training and the results were :
Male Female Total
Suitable for training 19 4 23
Unsuitable for training – 1 1
Registration of nursing homes
At the end of the year 48 nursing homes on the register were functioning compared
with 53 at the end of 1951. In the 48 homes there were 864 beds distributed as follows:
Number of beds in home
Number of
homes
Patients accommodated
Total
All types†
Medical and
surgical only*
25 or over
5
227
87
314
20 to 24
11
78
160
238
15 to 19
4
8
59
67
10 to 14
13
57
92
149
5 to 9
11
36
48
84
Under 5
4
2
10
12
Total
48
408
456
864
* Numbers include beds for medical and surgical patients which cannot be used if a maternity patient is accommodated
in the same room.
† Each bed is registered for a medical, surgical or maternity case.