Comparison of ocular reactions with the use of silver nitrate and erythromycin ointment in ophthalmia neonatorum prophylaxis

Abstract

A c c o R D I N G to the Rules and Regulations for the Control of Communicable Diseases of the State of Illinois 1 shall be the duty of any physician, midwife or nurse who attends or assists at the birth of a child, to instill or have instilled in each eye of the newborn baby, as soon as possible and not later than one hour after birth, a one per cent (1%) solution of silver nitrate or some other equally effective prophylactic for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum approved by the State Department of Public Health. The Illinois Department of Public Health approves only 1% silver nitrate solution as a prophylactic for ophthalmia neonatorum. Many State Departments of Public Health have similar rules and regulations. From time to time, however, the effectiveness of silver nitrate, as well as the morbidity it produces, has been questioned by most individuals using silver nitrate as a prophylactic agent. I t is the purpose of this paper to present the results of a study with silver nitrate and erythromycin ophthalmic ointment. x