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61
Maternity and Child Welfare.
tonsils and adenoids for operation, 13 were for dental
caries, and 5 for diseases of the nose. The Health Visitors
also carried out a certain amount of treatment for minor
ailments at the homes of the children, necessitating 20
special visits during the year.
4 and 5. Visiting of Cases of Measles, etc.—The
Health Visitors made 546 visits to cases of measles,
50 to cases of whooping cough, and 7 to cases of influenza,
giving advice on the care of the children and assisting
in the application of treatment. Information regarding
cases of the first two diseases was obtained through the
schools, the head-teachers of which notified weekly all
cases of non-notifiable infectious disease.
Ten cases of measles were admitted to the Isolation
Hospital, owing either to bad home conditions and the
difficulty of isolating the patients, or to their serious
condition. No cases of poliomyelitis were notified
during the year. Infant diarrhoea was practically
absent.
6. Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—Eight cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum were notified during the year.
In all the cases a doctor was present at the birth,
a trained nurse being with the doctor in one case and
an untrained woman, or monthly nurse as she is called,
being present with the doctor in seven cases. Five
were treated at home by the monthly nurse, under the
supervision of the doctor in attendance, two were admitted
to the King Edward Hospital, Ealing, and one
was treated at an Eye Hospital in London. Six cases
recovered completely without any impairment, but a
certain amount of permanent damage to the cornea
occurred in the remaining two cases. The Health Visitors