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
Enfield 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Enfield]
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18
NURSING IN THE HOME.
The Ponders End and District Nursing Society provides two
Nurses for the assistance of the sick poor.
No financial contribution is paid to the Society by the Local
Authority, there being no co-ordination between the Society and
the Sanitary Authority.
No arrangements are in force in the District for nursing cases
of Infectious Disease in the home.
MIDWIVES.
The Middlesex County Council is the supervising authority
under the Midwives' Act. There are 11 Midwives practising in the
District.
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE.
None of the work of the Authority is related to or administered
by this service.
LABORATORY FACILITIES.
The following work was carried out in the Council's laboratory during the year.
| Specimen. | No. | Positive. | Negative. | Percentage of Positives. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swabs | 1,008 | 56 | 952 | 5.55 |
| Sputum | 222 | 31 | 191 | 13.96 |
| Totals | 1,230 | 87 | 1,143 | 7.07 |
Reference to the laboratory report shows that 1,008 swabs
were examined during the year. This number is 332 less than that
for 1933.
This diminution is due to the fact that there were only 37
cases of Diphtheria notified during the year as compared with
45 in 1933.
The year is marked by an absence of one single death from
Diphtheria. The mortality rate is, therefore, zero.
It is not, however, sufficient that there should be no mortality
from Diphtheria. This disease to-day is preventable by means of
Schick testing and inocculation.
Towards the end of the year I placed before the Council a
scheme for the testing and inocculation of Enfield residents.