London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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Massage and Electrical Treatment. The Princess Louise Kensington Hospital for Children. The following is a record of the work conducted thereat during 1938 :—
| New cases— | |
|---|---|
| Under 5 years of age | 67 |
| Over 5 years of age | 119 |
| 186 | |
| Discharged— | |
| Under 5 years of age | 55 |
| Over 5 years of age | 89 |
| 114 | |
| Transferred to other hospitals because over age | 11 |
| Cases treated | 322 |
| Treatments given | 6,193 |
| The borough council make an annual grant to the authorities of the hospital for this treatment. | |
The Baby Clinic.
| Record of work during 1938 :— | |
| Individual patients treated | 290 |
| Treatments given | 2,451 |
| Massage treatment for children is also provided at the South Kensington infant welfare centre. | |
Artificial Sunlight Treatment.
Artificial sunlight treatment is administered at the baby clinic and hospital. During the year
1,853 treatments were given, and the average weekly attendance was 80 ; one hundred and twenty
children were treated. A number of patients were also treated at the Princess Louise hospital.
Convalescent Homes.
The council, under their maternity and child welfare scheme, provide convalescent home
treatment for mothers with babies under the age of six months. The following table shows the
institutions to which mothers and infants were sent during 1938, together with the number of
cases admitted. Each mother and baby stays in the home for a period of 14 days.
Institution.
Mothers
admitted
with
babies.
Mothers
admitted
without
babies.
Evelyn Convalescent Cottage Home, Wargrave, Berkshire 3 2
Hambledon Cottage Home, Surrey 3 —
Wayside Convalescent Home, Sunningdale, Surrey 5 1
Zaohary Merton Home, Rustington, Sussex 28 —
ihe Wayside and Zachary Merton convalescent homes are open for the reception of patients
tliroughout the year, but the Evelyn and Hambledon homes are closed during the winter months.
Ihe total cost to the council for convalescent treatment during the year was £132 18s. 9d.
in addition, the Invalid Children's Aid Association sent 69 Kensington pre-school children for
convalescence, and the council made a grant of £45 to that organisation in respect of this service.