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
Wandsworth 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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Analysis of Handicap and Observation Register
(children under five years of age)
| Number of children on register | 2,091 |
| Number of children added to register during 1965 | 1,169 |
| Proportion of children born and added to register in 1965 | 17% |
| Number of children on register with defects | 519 |
| Number of children with multiple defects | 50 |
| Number of children on register with severe defects | 12 |
Phenylketonuria
In 1963 the Ministry of Health stressed the importance of
close liaison between local medical and hospital services for
effective arrangements in the early diagnosis and treatment of
phenylketonuria. Screening tests on young babies are carried out
as a routine by health visitors; babies thought to be at special
risk are tested more often. Whenever a positive or doubtful case
is found it is referred to the hospital service for further examination,
the general practitioner being informed.
Unmarried Mothers and Care of Illegitimate Children
The unmarried mother and her baby have continued to be a
problem and every help and assistance is given as required.
Many unmarried mothers seek the help and advice of Moral
Welfare workers who arrange admission to Mother and Baby
Homes towards the end of pregnancy. There seems, however, to
be a tendency for more unmarried mothers now to remain in their
homes and have their babies at home. Many seek the services of
health visitors and midwives in the ordinary way, although, for
obvious reasons, they frequently need more help and support than
do married mothers.
Links between the health visitors, midwives and the Moral
Welfare workers in the area are close and constant and everything
is done to alleviate the inevitable difficulties which the unmarried
mother must face.
In Wandsworth in 1965, 844 illegitimate children were born,
which represents 13% of the total live births for the area.
Three voluntary Homes for unmarried mothers in the borough
are registered by the Council as nursing homes and are inspected
regularly by the medical officers and the public health inspectors.
One of the assistant nursing officers attends as an observer at the
Committee of Management to two of the Homes.
The health visitors for the area keep in close touch with the
Matrons of the Mother and Baby Homes, which they frequently
visit, to ensure follow-up when the mothers and their babies leave.
Cervical Cytology
Over the past few years, there has been a growing realisation
of the importance of screening tests for cancer of the womb.