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39
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
The number of cases of this disease notified in 1940 was 3. All were treated in
hospital, and in no case was vision impaired.
DYSENTERY.
Sixteen cases of sonne dysentery occurred amongst the nursing staff of the
Middlesex Hospital. The outbreak was mild in character and all the patients
recovered. The source of the infection was not definitely ascertained.
FOOD POISONING.
Three notifications of food poisoning were received during the year. Various
foodstuffs came under suspicion but no definite evidence as to the responsibility of
these articles was obtainable. All those affected recovered.
BLINDNESS.
Under an arrangement with the London County Council the borough council
has undertaken that provision for blind children up to the age of five years shall bo
made by the child welfare ccntres, and that home visiting in such cases shall be
carried out by the health visitors. Where the home conditions are unsuitable for a
blind child, arrangements are made for its reception into an approved institution.
Only in very exceptional circumstances, however, is a blind child removed from
its own home. No case came to tho knowledge of the Department during 1940.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis and the Milk Trade.
Provision is made in the Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations,
1925, designed to secure that no person suffering from respiratory tuberculosis
who is in an infectious condition shall be engaged in any form of dairy work involving
the milking of cows, the treatment of milk or tho handling of milk containers.
During tho year no case occurred which called for attention under the regulations.
Compulsory Removal of Tuberculous Patients to Hospital.
No action was required during 1940 under section 62 of the Public Health
Act, 1925, which relates to the compulsory removal to hospital of persons suffering
from tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis : New Cases and Mortality.
Table 1S, prepared at the request of the Ministry of Health, contains information
with regard to age and sex distribution of all forms of tuberculosis.