[Report 1918] / Medical Officer of Health, Gloucestershire County Council.

  • Gloucestershire (England). County Council. n 50061360.
Date:
1918
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1918] / Medical Officer of Health, Gloucestershire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/48 (page 19)
    21st June, 1919, the County Medical Officer was authorised to make necessary arrangements after consultation with the Chair- man of the Committee. The two cases of Anterior Polio-myelitis occurred in Charlton Kings U.D. and Cheltenham M.B. OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. The number of cases notified has steadily decreased from 27 and 29 in 1914 and 1915 to 16 in 1918. The only notes in the annual reports on these cases are in that for the Ciren- cester K.D. by Dr. Green, who says—“ that what is essential is “ proper nursing’ assistance; ” in both cases notified in this district the infants recovered without any permanent injury to the eyesight. Notifications from midwives of cases of discharge from the baby’s eves are carefully watched and investigation is made to ensure!, as far as possible, that adequate nursing is provided. MEASLES. The number of cases notified during 1918 was 4,078, but in several reports it is said that many more cases occurred than were notified; the number of deaths certified as due to this disease was 36. The practicability of giving assistance with a view to the proper care of children affected has been under consideration from time to time and, as noted in my last lie port, the County Council finally decided to arrange for visitation by nurses, but at that time it was not settled whether the work should be done by whole-time nurses or advantage taken of the services of district nurses. A conference with the County Nursing Association was held on 5th July, 1918, at which visi- tation by District Nurses was approved and it was left to each District Nursing Association to decide whether or not they would co-operate. As a general result 55 of the 98 District Nursing Associations have agreed, and arrangements are now being made for the visitation of cases (and their nursing in special instances) partly through the nurses of these Associa- tions and partly by whole-time emergency nurses. The same difficulty that has been experienced in other connections has been partly responsible for delay in this matter, namely, the scarcity of nurses, but it is now hoped that effect will be given to the proposals at an early date, if only in a partial manner.