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
West Ham 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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the mother is informed where she may obtain the services of a
Home Help or receive extra nourishment (in the form of dried
milk) in necessitous cases; she also receives valuable information
regarding preparation of her home for confinement, personal
hygiene, and other relevant advice.
Special visits and enquiries are made into the causes of all
deaths up to 5 years of age, and into all cases of stillbirth. During
1931 the system of visiting was begun of every case of stillbirth
after an interval of six months: this has proved worth while
in that a proportion of these mothers are found to be pregnant
again, and can thus be supervised from the early months to prevent
such a recurrence. Weekly visits are paid as long as necessary
to all cases of Puerperal Fever or Pyrexia, Ophthalmia Neonatorum,
Pemphigus Neonatorum in order to see that the patient
is receiving efficient care and is carrying out all advice for her own
health or the health of the infant.
| First Visits. | Total Visits. | |
|---|---|---|
| (a) To expectant mothers. | 6470 | 23065 |
| (b) To children under 1 year of age. | 7422 | 51528 |
| (c) To children between the ages of 1 and 5 years. | 2249 | 62628 |
| † (d) Infant Life Protection visits. | 473 | |
| † (e) Special visits (Home Helps, etc.) | 12857 | |
| Total visits | 150551 | |
| † Visits by Municipal Health Visitors only. | ||
The figures under headings (a) (b) and (c) include all visits
paid by the eighteen (from April, 1931), full-time Health Visitors
employed by the Council, plus the Health Visiting Staff employed
by the various voluntary associations in the Borough.
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