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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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Nursing Service, 1932.
| Name of Disease. | Age. | Total. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years. | Over 5 years. | |||||
| Cases. | Visits. | Cases. | Visits. | Cases. | Visits. | |
| Ophthalmia Neon. & other Eye Aff'ns. | 116 | 2,351 | - | - | 116 | 2,351 |
| Measles | 34 | 423 | 11 | 105 | 45 | 528 |
| Whooping Cough | 8 | 111 | — | — | 8 | 111 |
| Diarrhoea & Vomiting | 4 | 16 | — | — | 4 | 16 |
| Chicken Pox | 2 | 26 | — | — | 2 | 26 |
| Mumps | 1 | 13 | — | — | 1 | 13 |
| Pemphigus Neonatorum | 2 | 25 | - | - | 2 | 25 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pneumonia | 18 | 307 | 59 | 952 | 77 | 1,259 |
| Influenza | 1 | 8 | 21 | 215 | 22 | 223 |
| Erysipelas | - | - | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Totals | 186 | 3,280 | 92 | 1,277 | 278 | 4,557 |
The cost of the nursing service in 1932 was £151 18s. 0d. as
compared with £143 12s. 0d. in the previous year.
St. Thomas's Babies Hostel.
The arrangements temporarily made in 1926 with St. Thomas's
Babies' Hostel, with the sanction of the Ministry of Health,
for the provision of facilities for cases sent from the Borough
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics for test feeding and the encouragement
of breast feeding amongst Battersea mothers, were
continued during 1932.
The results of the year's work have been satisfactory and are
summarised below:—
A. Test Feeds.
Number of cases, 224, comprising: Mothers, 224;
babies, 228. Number of attendances, 656.
9 of these cases received in-patient treatment.
B. In-Patient Treatment.
Battersea cases received—
8 mothers and 8 babies sent by Council.
2 mothers and 9 babies sent from other sources.
Period of stay.
Cases sent by Council—8 mothers and 8 babies,
408 days; average, 25½ days.
Other cases—2 mothers and 9 babies, 430 days ;
average, mothers 42½ days, babies 38⅓ days.