[Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Southampton County Borough.

  • Southampton (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Southampton County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/132 (page 19)
    Still Births. Enquiry was made in 52 of the still births which came to the knowledge of the department, to ascertain, if possible, the cause. The following were the causes given : ante-partum haemorrhage, 6 ; prolonged and obstructed labour, 5 ; shock due to fall, 6 ; asphyxiated by cord, 2 ; suspected venereal disease, 4 ; twin-birth, first child normal, second small and still born, 3 ; albuminuria and unsatisfactory ante-natal condition, 12. Ophthalmia Neonatorum. Thirty-two cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were notified, and enquiry was made in the first quarter of 1926 to ascertain the then condition of cases notified in the previous year. It was found that twenty-eight had no apparent injury, and were reported cured ; in two cases there was a slight weakness of the left eye—sight apparently not affected—still attending the Eye Hospital ; two cases died of pneumonia, one at four months and one at eight months old. Of the thirty-two cases, six were notified from Shirley Warren Infirmary, sixteen from the Free Eye Hospital, one from the Municipal Maternity Home, two by midwives, and treated by private practitioners, and seven were notified by private practi¬ tioners. The majority of the cases notified from the Free Eye Hospital, were sent by midwives in the early stages (some at a few hours old) to the Hospital for treatment, and no delay has occurred, in any of the cases investigated, in obtaining medical treatment. As soon as notification is received the Health Visitor attends at once to see that treatment is carried out, and to assist. Help in some cases has been given by the Queen’s District Nurses. Puerperal Fever. Nineteen cases of puerperal septicaemia occurred during the year, three of which were not notified. Eight cases occurred in midwives’ practices, one in the practice of a })rivate practi¬ tioner, two cases were delivered at the Maternity Home, five in Shirley Warren Infirmary, and three cases were notified from the Royal South Hants and Southanq^ton Hospital, where they liad been transferred by private ]:)ractitioners. Seven deaths occurred during the year, three of which were due to septicccmia following abortion. klach case was investigated and disinfection carried out in every case that was notified. In those cases occurring in a midwife’s practice, disinfection of the midwife, her equipment