London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Lewisham 1933

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]

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19
for an order directing the removal of an infant to a place of safety.
In accordance with the powers granted by this Order, the officer
who was carrying out the work under the London County Council
was transferred to this Council as from 1st April, 1933.
At the end of the year there were 179 nurse-children on the
register, under the care of 127 foster-mothers.
One nurse-child died during the year.
Health Visitors.
There are seven whole-time Health Visitors engaged in
Maternity and Child Welfare work, to each of whom a particular
part of the Borough is allotted for home visiting.
Under the Notification of Births Acts, early information is
received in the Health Department of births which have taken place,
and when the doctor or midwife has ceased to attend, a call is made
by the Health Visitor, who thus has an early opportunity of advising
the mother in regard to the feeding, clothing and general
management of the infant. Every encouragement is given the mother
to attend an Infant Welfare Centre. Three or four visits are paid
during the first year of the infant's life, and afterwards, at longer
intervals, until the child reaches the age of five years.
The Health Visitors' duties also comprise visits to expectant
mothers, enquiries into cases of puerperal fever and ophthalmia
neonatorum, infant deaths, and applications under the milk assistance
scheme.
Each Health Visitor attends the Voluntary Infant Welfare Centre
in her district, and takes her turn in attending the Municipal Clinics.

The work carried out by these officers during the years is summarised below:—

Infants under 1 year of age:—
First visits2,548
Subsequent visits6,911
Infants between 1 and 5 years of age:—
Total visits9,736