London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barking 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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(a)
| Disease. | In Hospital January, 1st, 1935. | Admitted during the year. | Died. | Discharged. | In Hospital Dec. 31st, 1935. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever | 69 | 409 | – | 417 | 61 |
| Diphtheria (including Membranous Croup) | 68 | 273 | 14 | 294 | 33 |
| Enteric Fever | – | 3 | – | 3 | – |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | – | 3 | *1 | 2 | – |
| Pneumonia | – | 13 | 1 | 9 | 3 |
| Erysipelas | 1 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 1 |
| Ophthalmia Neonatorum | – | 3 | – | 3 | – |
| Others | – | 34 | 2 | 25 | 7 |
7. PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS.
Blindness is being prevented in Barking ; it is being prevented by the
co-operation of the whole of the services.
One of the chief causes of blindness is Ophthalmia Neonatorum, which is a
purulent discharge from the eyes of an infant, commencing within twenty-one days
of its birth.
Your Consultant Gynaecologist draws up approved hygiene for the eyes at birth,
your Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon draws up our approved treatment for
Ophthalmia Neonatorum, and your Inspector of Mid wives takes up each case as it
should arise and your Health Visitors follow up each case and encourage parents to
carry out any necessary treatment. It is years ago since we had a case where vision
has been impaired by reason of Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
The following table shows that the number of cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum
during 1935 was 15, compared with 20 in 1934. Twelve cases were treated at
home, and in no case was the vision impaired.