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

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Camberwell 1924

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.

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35
(Pneumonia, Malaria, Dysentery, etc.) Regulations, 1919, and to
cases of puerperal septicaemia and ophthalmia neonatorum in that
part of the Borough in which they operate, i.e., Wards Nos. 6 and 7.
The following table records the number of cases, visits, and cost
of such cases during the year : —

The Camberwell District and Ranyard Nursing Associations.

Quarter ended.No. of Cases.No. of Visits.Cost.
I£s.d.
March2632,210110100
June1231,2006000
September951,0205100
December1001,35467140
Total5815,78428940

Dental Clinic.
The provision of a dental service scheme to serve the needs
of all expectant and nursing mothers and children under 5 years
of age attending the Municipal and Voluntary Infant Welfare
Centres, and also for the Municipal Maternity Ward patients, was
considered by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.
In a report submitted on the above question attention was
drawn to the necessity of a dental clinic being available as part
of pre-maternity work, so that the mouths of all women likely to
become mothers should be free from sepsis, and no Maternity and
Infant Welfare Scheme can be said to be complete unless it provides
the opportunity for such treatment. Further, oral sepsis in a child
at a vital period of its development—3 to 5 years—will result in a
derangement of the whole system through malnutrition and the
absorption of poisons from pathogenic organisms.
There is a dental clinic associated with the Cobourg School for
Mothers Kempshead Hall, Kempshead Road, Camberwell, which
is available for cases referred for treatment from the Municipal and
Voluntary Infant Welfare Centres in Camborwell, and whilst every
praise is due to the authorities of this Centre for their effort to
co-operate in the work of dental care, I am of the opinion that the
existing facilities are inadequate to deal effectively with the number
of women and children requiring dental advice and treatment.
Negotiations were entered into with the Camberwell Board of
Guardians with the object of the establishment of a dental clinic
at the St. Giles' Hospital, Brunswick Square, Camberwell, to meet
the requirements of both Authorities, but at the end of 1924 the
matter remained in abeyance.