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

View report page

Southall 1944

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]

This page requires JavaScript

experimentally by means of wedging of shoes and corrective exercises. If good results are
being obtained there is then no need for a specialist's advice, the services of the specialist
thus being available for more serious cases. Several children found to have slight orthopaedic
defects at the wartime nurseries have been treated in this way.
The attendances during the year are tabulated below :—
Infants. Mothers.
First visits 71 4
Re-attendances 683 11
Health Propaganda.
At clinics, in the homes, in the nurseries, in the hospital, there is a continual and
persistent education in health matters in progress; children are learning the reasons for
being clean, for having correct diet, and how to prevent disease, and parents are advised
about these things and in more detail the dangers of dirty homes, unsound and badly cooked
food, housefly and vermin infestation, the importance of sleep and a regular life for young
children and so on.
Health posters supplied by the Ministry of Food, Central Council for Health
Education and other educative bodies were displayed on the Council's posterboards and in
clinics and libraries and with the recommencement of Mothercraft sessions it was possible
to give health talks to small groups of mothers at these sessions.
The birthday card scheme whereby infants of one year received a greeting card
with a reminder that anti-diphtheria immunisation should now be undertaken had some
success in obtaining attendances at the Immunisation Clinic.
Midwives.
Arrangements in the Council's Domiciliary Midwifery Service remain unchanged
and leaflets are issued describing the services provided. These are available at the Manor
House and the Branch Health Centre.
Midwives attend regularly at the ante-natal clinics, where in consultation with
the doctor any anticipated difficulties can be discussed and a solution found.
(See Appendix, Tables XIX and XX for information dealing with notifications
relating to Southall received from midwives resident in Southall during the year. This
information is based on material kindly supplied by the County Medical Officer of Health.)
The monthly bookings for each district are included below :—

T able F.

DistrictsNo. 1No. 2No. 3No. 4No. 5Totals
January3828324
February5447222
March7739632
April7567429
May81410528
June4618625
July5456626
August611310333
September61069233
October3637322
November31168432
December6674326
Totals6379509347332

Maternity and Nursing Homes.
The Middlesex County Council is the local authority under the Acts relating to
the registration of maternity and other nursing homes. There are two private nursing
homes in the district.
13