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32
Neonatorum to me was in addition to their duty of notifying
any case of inflammation of the eyes to the Supervising
Authority and of calling in a doctor. The present procedure,
while somewhat complicated, should not be beyond the grasp
of a person who is considered competent to practise midwifery.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum or Ophthalmia of the new-born
is nearly always due to inoculation of the eyelids of the
new-iborn child by a germ found in the maternal passage
through which the child proceeds while being born. The
particular germ usually found is the gonococcus. This germ
is the cause of the disease gonorrhoea. The venereal
disease gonorrhoea is considered by the laity to be a
trifling complaint. We see here, however, one of its serious
results, lifelong blindness. While the disease is only a
trifling inconvenience to most men, it is not infrequently the
cause of much chronic ill-health and sterility when communicated
to a woman, sometimes an innocent wife. Worst
of all, the child may be, as we have seen, the victim.
I have dwelt on this subject because of its importance
from a sociological and medical standpoint and
because it is right that laymen who are responsible for our
local government and administration should understand the
nature of the disease with which we are dealing and its
importance.
Following on the issue of the regulations the District
Council decided to admit cases of the disease to the Isolation
Hospital when accommodation for cases of infectious disease
permitted. If the eyesight of the child is to be preserved
constant attention both day and night is necessary and this
can often be obtained only in a hospital. Two cases were
admitted during the year, the mother in each case accompanying
the child. One case was in an advanced stage of
the disease when admitted, and in spite of all our efforts the
eyesight could not be preserved. The other case, although