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
Woolwich 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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92
administration of the Public Health (Puerperal Fever and
Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926, is referred to in detail
in Section VIII.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
During the year 18 cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum
were notified, and 4 cases were treated in hospital. In
tabular form is shown below, as required by the Ministry of
Health, the result of each case.
TABLE No. 54.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
| No. Notified. | Cases. Treated. | Vision Unimpaired. | Vision Impaired. | Total Blindness. | Deaths. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Home. | In Hospital. | |||||
| 18 | 14 | 4 | 16 | — | — | — |
Two cases treated in hospital left the Borough, and I
have been unable to ascertain their subsequent history.
Nursing. During 1926, 10 cases were nursed at home at
a total cost to the Council of £7 2s. The number of visits
paid by nurses was 142, thus averaging 14 visits per case.
During the year the Public Health (Ophthalmia
Neonatorum) Regulations, 1914, were revoked, and new
regulations, the Public Health (Ophthalmia Neonatorum)
Regulations, 1926, became operative. These regulations
differ from the old ones in that no obligation is now laid upon
the midwife to notify this disease and make it obligatory on
the Medical Officer of Health to send a copy of every notification
he receives to the Metropolitan Asylums Board.