(a) Immediately after the birth of a child, the attending physician or attending nurse midwife shall use in the eyes of the child a prophylactic, approved by the Department, against gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum.
(b) If, within 2 weeks after the birth of a child, an eye of the child becomes inflamed or swollen:
(1) The attending physician shall test to determine if gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum is the cause of the inflammation or swelling; or
(2) If there is no attending physician, any other individual who has care of the child shall report the condition immediately to a physician or to the health officer for the county where the child is located, so that testing may be done.
(c) Within 48 hours after a physician knows that a child under the physician’s care has gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum, the physician shall submit a report to the Department.
(d) An individual other than a physician may not treat the inflammation or swelling.
(e) A person who violates any provision of subsection (b)(2) or (d) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $100 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both.
Structure Maryland Statutes