{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-18-308","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Health - General § 18–308","heading":"","body":"(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.\n(b) If, within 2 weeks after the birth of a child, an eye of the child becomes inflamed or swollen:\n(1) The attending physician shall test to determine if gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum is the cause of the inflammation or swelling; or\n(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.\n(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.\n(d) An individual other than a physician may not treat the inflammation or swelling.\n(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.","path":["Article - Health - General"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghg\u0026section=18-308","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:58:48Z","sha256":"8e7e24a4897bfbb135fe775ef0f1ae5d6a129c4d9694951206252df777ded022","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-18-307","next":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-18-309"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}