Skin care of the newborn infant

Abstract

Summary<ul><li>1.The incidence of impetigo neonatorum in a large maternity hospital over a six-year period is reported.</li><li>2.Dry care was used for approximately the first half of the interval mentioned, 1947, 1948, and 1949. During these years the incidence of impetigo was 0.91 per cent, 1.32 per cent, and 2.00 per cent of 3,393, 3,203, and 3,189 live births, respectively.</li><li>3.During the second half of the six-year period mentioned, 1950, 1951, and 1952, the babies were bathed every other day with a spray technique, using a sudsing detergent especially suitable for newborn skin. The incidence of impetigo during these years was 0.29 per cent, 0.29 per cent, and 0.13 per cent of 3,356, 3,772, and 3,841 live births, respectively.</li><li>4.In our experience, babies of private white mothers have more skin infections than babies of clinic mothers whether white or Negro. The relationship of the longer hospital stay of the first group is mentioned.</li><li>5.The gradual but inexorable increase in the nursery population over the last twelve years is mentioned. Thus double the number of babies must now be cared for without doubling either nursing staff or space facilities.</li><li>6.The possible relationship of an ever-increasing dependence on a shifting, nonprofessional personnel is suggested.</li><li>7.A combination of these factors is probably more significant than any one alone.</li><li>8.This experience suggests the desirability of individualizing institutional practices to conform with the situation as it presents.</li></ul>