Ophthalmia neonatorum : the problem after thirty years of statutory notification and sixty years of Credé prophylaxis / Arnold Sorsby.

  • Arnold Sorsby
Date:
1945
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Ophthalmia neonatorum : the problem after thirty years of statutory notification and sixty years of Credé prophylaxis / Arnold Sorsby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    sought on the total number of cases of ophthalmia neonatorum as a whole and of gonococcal ophthalmia in particular that occurred at these various centres. during 1938-42. - The following table summarizes some typical replies. Number of births at the particular Number of cases of institution during the Number of cases of Gonococcal Ophthalmia period 1938—42 Ophthalmia Neonatorum Neonatorum 12,149 1,216 15 9,790 25 19 9,119 210 10 7,479 25 8 2,398 51 5 ¥,050. 3 o (but 38 fo) cases of “‘sticky eye’”’ not regarded as notifiable were observed) In the light of these observations it would appear that the relatively consistent rates recorded by the Registrar-General cannot be taken as an unquestionable indication of the incidence of ophthalmia neonatorum and that the variations they show from year to year and for different parts of the country have to be assessed with reserve. Notification primarily serves, of course, the purpose of ensuring early and adequate treatment and not that of collecting statistics. It is therefore of little moment if the returns include categories of ophthalmia that carry no danger to sight; the purpose of notification is satisfied if some cases of infantile ophthalmia that might have ended in the disaster of blindness had, as a result of the statutory enactment, been provided with adequate treatment. For this reason a study of the incidence of visual impairment and blindness from ophthalmia neonatorum over some years is relevant. 2. THE INCIDENCE OF IMPAIRED VISION AND OF BLINDNESS CONSEQUENT ON OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM IN 1921 there were 82 cases of impaired vision and 7 of blindness amongst 4,555 cases of ophthalmia neonatorum notified by 83 Local Health Authorities (Ministry of Health, 1922). For the period 1924-33 returns from the Metropolitan Boroughs and from the County Boroughs of England and Wales (with a few exceptions) are available. They * are set out in Table ITI. Available comparative data for 1934-43 are included in the returns for the whole country (Table IV), and the following summary table brings out a striking decline in the incidence of impaired vision and of blindness from ophthalmia neonatorum. (See also Figs. 1 and 2.) Metropolitan and English County Boroughs, 1924-43 Notifications Vision Impaired Blind : Rate per Rate per 100,000 100,000 No. births No. _ births Metropolitan Boroughs 1924-33 6,898 76 FOr7 7 | are) 1934-43 3,613 8 1°6 7 04 County Boroughs (England) 1924-33 - 27,566 394 18-7 46 2°2 1934-43 21,901 go 4°5 18 09
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