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
Camberwell 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell]
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14
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE
area.
Nursing in the Home.
The Ranyard Nurses, Camberwell District Nursing Association,
Rotherhithe District Nursing Association, the Brixton Nursing
Association and the East Dulwich and Dulwich Village Nursing
Association visit the sick to carry out skilled nursing in the homes
of the residents of Camberwell.
These Nursing Associations cover the entire area of the Borough.
With the exception of the East Dulwich and Dulwich Village
Nursing Association who render professional services in the homes
without financial assistance from this Authority, the Borough
Council has entered into undertakings to pay each Nursing
Association one shilling per visit, less contributions made by the
patients or their relatives towards the ccst of such services, in
respect of the nursing of maternity cases and specified cases of
illness in children under five years referred to them by the Public
Health Department, Hospitals and general practitioners, as well as
to notifiable diseases under the Infectious Diseases (Lond.) Regulations.
These Associations do not, however, receive any grant from
the Borough Council for general nursing.
No alteration has been required in the arrangements which have
been in existence for some years between the above-mentioned
Nursing Associations and the Borough Council.
Laboratory Facilities.
There are no changes to be recorded in the arrangements made
by this Council in connection with the bacteriological examination
and chemical analysis of clinical material (sputum, swabs, etc.),
water, milk and foodstuffs.
Legislation in Force.
Local Legislation which became operative during 1932 related
to the registration of premises for the sale, etc., of ice cream and
preserved food and the notification of cases of food poisoning. These
provisions are contained in the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1932.
Hospitals.
There are no hospitals belonging to the local authority, but
the Council has an agreement with the London County Council for
the provision of two wards in St. Giles' Hospital, each containing
six beds, for the reception of Municipal Maternity cases.
This service is extremely popular, the beds being booked to
capacity many months ahead.
INFANTILE MORTALITY TABLE.
Deaths from Stated Causes at Various Ages under One Year of Age, 1932.
| Cause of Death. | Under 1 week. | 1 to 2 weeks. | 2 to 3 weeks. | 3 to 4 weeks. | Total under 1 month. | 1 to 3 months. | 3 to 6 months. | 6 to 9 months. | 9 to 12 months. | Total under 1 year. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chicken Pox | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Measles | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Scarlet Fever | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Whooping Cough | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Diphtheria and Croup | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Erysipelas | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | — | — | — |
| Tuberculous Meningitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | 1 | — | 1 |
| Abdominal Tuberculosis | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | — | 1 | 1 |
| Other Tuberculous Diseases | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Meningitis | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Convulsions | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 4 |
| Laryngitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bronchitis | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Pneumonia | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 |
| Diarrhoea | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 3 |
| Enteritis | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 32 |
| Gastritis | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 4 |
| Syphilis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rickets | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Suffocation | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Injury at Birth | 10 | — | 1 | — | 11 | — | — | 11 | ||
| Atelectasis | 5 | 3 | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | 8 | |
| Congenital Malformation | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 4 | — | — | 18 |
| Premature Birth | 26 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 32 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 36 |
| Atrophy, Debility and Marasmus | 7 | — | — | — | 7 | 1 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| Other Causes | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 25 |
| Broncho-pneumonia | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 31 |
| Influenza | — | — | - | — | — | 1 | — | — | - | 1 |
| Totals | 61 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 87 | 39 | 39 ; | 40 | 29 | 234 |