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A very serious view of the case was taken by the Public Health Committee, and
summonses were issued against both the midwife and the doctor concerned for failure
to notify as required by the Public Health (Ophthalmia Neonatorum) Regulations.
At the hearing both summonses were dismissed by the magistrate, that against the
midwife with costs amounting to £6 6s. No costs were granted to the doctor
who, apart from stating that he objected to notifying cases of ophthalmia neonatorum,
since it is frequently due to venereal disease (gonorrhoea) and trouble may arise in
the family, urged further that he had seen no discharge of matter from the eyes on
the occasion when he saw the patient and could not be certain that the case was one to
which the regulations applied. The defence of the midwife was to the effect that she
also did not know the case was one of ophthalmia neonatorum. The rules under
which a midwife acts require her to notify the Midwives Supervisory Authority
(in London—the County Council) of any case of inflammation of the eye and this
she did. She could not be expected to be able to recognize any special form of
inflammation. By recommending the parents to consult a doctor she considered that
she had done all she was required or could be expected to do.
The case revealed the existence of a number of defects in the Public Health
(Ophthalmia Neonatorum) Regulations, and to these the attention of the Ministry of
Health was directed.
The Ministry may in time see that the regulations are altered and that the duty
is more definitely imposed upon doctors and midwives of calling the attention of the
local authority to the fact that a baby is suffering from eye trouble, and so give an
opportunity for everything possible to be done in order that it may not be blinded,
It was unfortunate for the child in this case that there was some lack of definiteness
in the regulations, and that those responsible for drafting them had a greater regard
for humanity than for the niceties of the law, and a greater belief in the willingness
of all the individuals named in the regulations to further the object they had in view
than happenings here and, as there have been other cases, elsewhere also appear to
warrant.
PNEUMONIA.
Figures with regard to notification and information as to methods of
prevention, etc., adopted in relatiou to this disease will be found on page 49.
The services of the nurses were requisitioned in 43 cases and 387 visits were
paid.
TUBERCULOSIS.
In all 261 cases were notified, 224 being pulmonary cases, the remainder of the
notifications (37) relative to cases in which structures other than the lungs were
affected.
The table given on page 62 contains the information required by the Ministry
of Health with regard to notification. Notifications on Form B relate to school
children. The number it will be noted was 8 as against 13 in 1918.
Treatment of Tuberculosis.—Of the cases notified 132 received some form of
institutional treatment, and during the year every effort was made to obtain
admission to sanatoria of cases deemed suitable for such treatment. Of the total
new cases notified 124 were insured persons: of these 63 were admitted to sanatorium
or hospital treatment and 17 to the Infirmary. Non-insured persons numbered 120,
of whom 40 (16 being children) received sanatorium treatment and 12 were admitted
to the Infirmary. Nurses were sent in to 13 cases and 292 visits were paid.