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34.
The disease is a type of conjunctivitis and is caused
in a considerable number of cases by a gonorrhœal discharge
from the genital passages of the mother getting
into the eyes of the infant generally during birth. The
importance of early and thorough treatment need hardly
be emphasised when one realises that the condition
is the commonest cause of blindness in infants.
Both the London County Council and the Borough
Councils participate in the prevention, control and
treatment of the disease. The London County Council
is the authority primarily responsible for the prevention
and curative measures against venereal diseases
in persons of all ages and both sexes, and outpatient
and hospital treatment is provided in special
hospitals and special departments of general hospitals.
Cases of ophthalmia neonatorum are admitted by
the County Council to St. Margaret's Hospital and also
to the Fulham Hospital and the infants are accompanied
by their mothers if this is considered desirable. During
1930 three cases were admitted to St. Margaret's Hospital
and three to Fulham Hospital.
When the notification is received by the Public
Health Department of the Borough Council one of the
Health Visitors visits the home of the infant and makes
sure that treatment is being carried out. Whether the
disease in any individual case is or is not of a gonorrhœal
nature, immediate treatment is imperative. Bacteriological
treatment is required to ascertain the causal
organism.
Through an arrangement between the Borough
Council and the District Nursing Association, the services
of the District Nurses are available for cases
which are under medical treatment in their own homes.
During 1930, 299 visits were made by these nurses to
the 13 cases which were treated at home.