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
Beddington and Wallington 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beddington and Wallington]
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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE CENTRES.
At the beginning of 1944 the Council's six Infant Welfare Centres
were being held fortnightly on the same days as in previous years.
Consequent upon the steadily increasing attendances reported in the
past, at these Infant Welfare Centres, an additional clinic was considered
necessary to relieve the congestion experienced at the Wallington
Centre. A fortnightly clinic for Toddlers from two to five years
was opened on February 2nd, and proved popular from the start. The
mothers appreciated the special attention their toddlers were receiving,
and it was a disappointment to all concerned when, at the end of
July, the session had to be discontinued owing to mothers and toddlers
being evacuated. It is hoped to start this venture afresh as soon as
conditions return to normal.
The following tables show the attendances for 1944 at the seven centres maintained by the Council. It is interesting to note the heavy fall in attendances in the latter part of the year owing to evacuation when the figures are set out on a monthly basis and compared with the corresponding figures for 1943.
| Ban- don Hill. | High-view. | Elm Grove. | Hack-bridge. | Beddington. | Wallington. | Toddlers' Clinic. | Totals, 1944 | Totals, 1943 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of sessons held | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 12 | 152 | 133 |
| Infants: — | |||||||||
| No. of new cases under 1 year | 90 | 31 | 49 | 28 | 43 | 97 | – | 338 | 406 |
| No. of re-attendances | 525 | 339 | 383 | 200 | 371 | 611 | – | 2429 | 3370 |
| No. of new cases over 1 year | 6 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 58 | 99 | 108 |
| No. of re-attendances | 489 | 441 | 438 | 338 | 421 | 480 | 122 | 2629 | 3550 |
| Total attendance of infants | 1110 | 814 | 878 | 571 | 845 | 1197 | 180 | 5595 | 7434 |
| Average attendance of infants per session | 46.3 | 35.4 | 38.2 | 25.9 | 35.2 | 49.9 | 15.0 | 35.7 | 55.9 |
| Mothers attending | 1057 | 710 | 806 | 526 | 783 | 1180 | 176 | 5238 | 6798 |
| Total attendances | 2167 | 1524 | 1684 | 1097 | 1628 | 2377 | 356 | 10833 | 14232 |
| Average total attendance per session | 90.3 | 66.3 | 73.2 | 49.8 | 67.8 | 99.1 | 29.6 | 71.3 | 104.0 |