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
Battersea 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough.
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26
Convalescent Homes.
During 1929, accommodation was provided for 33 mothers
and 37 children attending the various Maternity and Child Welfare
Clinics. Of these, 25 mothers and children were sent to St. Mary's
Convalescent Home, Birchington, and the remainder to the Burnett
Cottage Home, Heme Bay. The cost incurred by the Council
amounted to £73 18s. Od., the mothers and a voluntary association
contributing the balance of £27 16s. 3d. In addition through other
charitable organisations 8 mothers and 4 children taken from the
Council's Centres were sent for country and seaside holidays for
a period of one or two weeks, in each case.
Nursing Facilities.
During 1929 the total number of attendances made by the
District Nursing Service in connection with the Council's Scheme
was:—
| Name of Disease. | Age | Total. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years. | Over 5 years. | |||||
| Cases. | Visits. | Cases. | Visits. | Cases. | Visits. | |
| Ophthalmia Neon. & other Eye Aff'ns. | 90 | 2,052 | - | - | 90 | 2,052 |
| Measles | 10 | 103 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 128 |
| Whooping Cough | 15 | 284 | 3 | 50 | 18 | 334 |
| Diarrhoea & Vomiting | 4 | 21 | - | - | 4 | 21 |
| Chicken Pox | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pemphigus | ||||||
| Neonatorum | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | - | - | 5 | 84 | 5 | 84 |
| Pneumonia | 44 | 718 | 88 | 1,512 | 132 | 2,230 |
| Influenza | 7 | 100 | 52 | 656 | 59 | 756 |
| Erysipelas | - | - | 6 | 74 | 6 | 74 |
| Encephalitis | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lethargica | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Paratyphoid Fever | - | - | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Totals | 170 | 3,278 | 158 | 2,407 | 328 | 5,685 |
The cost of the nursing service in 1929 was £189 10s. Od. as
compared with £182 lis. 4d., in the previous year.
Health Visitors.
The Health Visiting Staff consists of 10 full time Health Visitors,
including an additional Health Visitor appointed in December, 1929,
to deal with the area served by the new Centre at Gideon Road
(vide page 22). Two of these are partly employed as Women
Sanitary Inspectors.