Ophthalmia neonatorum : with especial reference to its causation and prevention / by Sydney Stephenson.

  • Stephenson, Sydney, 1862-1923
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ophthalmia neonatorum : with especial reference to its causation and prevention / by Sydney Stephenson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    The incidence of ophthalmia in the above institutions, as will be seen from the table, is creditably low, namely, 0'22 per cent, among 35,815 babies born alive. It is due partly to the antiseptic and aseptic conditions by which modern science has surrounded the childbed, and still more in this case to the universal adoption of some efficient method of prophylaxis, as will be explained later. In the following table a comparison is instituted between the incidence of the disease in the Continental and the British maternities. It should be borne in mind, however, that the figures refer to very different periods : Institution. Births. Ophthalmia. Ophthalmia, percentage of. 15 Continental Maternities, before the year 1S82. 6 British Maternities, after the year 1S82. 118,489 35.815 4,802 79 4-05 0'22 In the year 1896, at the instance of the Local Government Board, the present writer obtained some figures with regard to the prevalence of ophthalmia neonatorum in the lying-in wards of the London Poor-Law Infirmaries and Workhouses. To some extent these Poor-Law departments are comparable with the lying-in charities, although it is probable that, on the whole, they draw their inmates from a lower social class. Still, the)' are under direct medical supervision, and the labours are con- ducted by qualified women. Briefly stated, the figures obtained came out as follows :—during a period of two years (1894-5) 4,884 living babies were born, and of that number 176 developed ophthalmia. In other words, of the children who entered the world under the auspices of the Poor-Law during the period reviewed, no less than 360 per cent, became diseased. The variations between the different institutions shown in the table were largely accounted for by the difficulties of a fixed standard, and by the different measures of prophylaxis adopted at the various places.
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