Illinois Statutes Chapter 410. Public Health § 215/3. Maternity homes, etc.; duties of physicians and midwives

§ 3. It is the duty of all maternity homes and any and all hospitals or places where women resort for purposes of childbirth, to post and keep posted in conspicuous places in their institution, copies of this Act, and to instruct persons professionally employed in such homes, hospitals and places regarding their duties under this Act, and to maintain such records of cases of ophthalmia neonatorum in the manner and form prescribed by the Department of Public Health.

It 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 new born 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.