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 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
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28
of Ophthalmia Neonatorum, and assisting in district visiting duties
in one of the Municipal Infant Welfare areas. During the period
of a measles epidemic the woman Sanitary Inspector also assists
in visiting cases of this disease. Approximately two-thirds of the
time of the Health Visitors is spent in visiting the homes of expectant
and nursing mothers, and children under the age of five years, the
remainder of their time being devoted to attendance at the various
sessions at the Infant Welfare Centres. Infant visiting is carried
out on a systematic basis. The first visit is paid as soon as possible
after the infant reaches the age of 14 days, and routine visits are
continued until the child goes to school or reaches the age of five
years. Tables showing the visits made by the Health Visitors and
the total attendances of mothers and infants at the Infant Welfare
Centres during the year appears on pages 32 and 33.
Pre-School Child.
Special medical sessions for pre-school children ("toddlers")
are held at three Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough, for the
purposes of providing for the medical inspection of children between
one and five years and to assist in reducing the amount of physical
defects and disease in children in this age group. At the other
Centres "toddlers "attend the ordinary Infant Medical Sessions. If
mothers would realise that a careful physical examination is made
of each child by the Medical Officer, at these special sessions, there
is no doubt that more mothers would bring their children to these
clinics for examination.
Individual instruction is also given to mothers at these sessions
on the subject of how to maintain the child in a state of good health.
Toddlers Clinics. Attendances Table.
| Infant Welfare Centre. | Number of Sessions held 1934. | Number of Individual Children attending these Sessions. | Total Attendances. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amott Road | 49 | 545 | 841 |
| Bird-in-Bush | 44 | 308 | 692 |
| Mayward House, Brunswick Square | 49 | 699 | 1,490 |
Mothercraft and Health Talk Sessions.
Advice to mothers by the Medical Officers at the clinics and by
the Health Visitors in the homes on matters connected with pregnancy
and the care of infants is supplemented by collective instruction
in the form of short educational talks at special sessions held at
five of the Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough. The opportunity