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
Chelsea 1926
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chelsea, 1926
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CLINICS AND TREATMENT CENTRES.
The Maternity and Child Welfare work carried on in the Borough by
the Chelsea Health Society and School for Mothers has already been
outlined in Section II. of this report and an account of the Society's
activities during the years 1925-1926 has been included in Table No. 42.
The Society is controlled by a Voluntary Committee and is supported
by (1) voluntary contributions, (2) financial grants from the Ministry
of Health and from the Borough Council. During the year 1926 four
infant clinics were held weekly and one ante-natal clinic weekly. One
infant clinic was held weekly at 484, King's Road, the remaining three
infant clinics and the ante-natal clinic being held at 1, Manor Street.
The medical and other staff are appointed by the Voluntary Committee.
All the medical officers are ladies.
ORMOND MATERNITY HOME.
The Ormond Maternity Home, situated at 29, Blantyre Street, Chelsea,
is the only institution of its kind in the Borough. It provides accommodation
for six cases, a seventh bed being available in emergency. The
Home is controlled by a Voluntary Committee and is supported by
(1) voluntary subscriptions, (2) payments by patients and by pupils. The
Institution does excellent work in the neighbourhood, providing an intern
and extern midwifery service, and, in addition, is a recognised school for
the training of midwives. The Medical Officer of Health is a member of
the Advisory Committee of the Home.
There is an ever-increasing demand for the Maternity beds, the number
of in-patients dealt with having risen from 44 in 1925 to 48 in 1926.
I am indebted to Miss Child, the Superintendent of the Home, for the following information regarding the work done during 1926:
| Total cases attended during the year | 227 |
| Cases admitted and attended in the Home | 48 |
| Cases attended in the district | 179 |
| Maternal Deaths | None. |
CONVALESCENT HOME TREATMENT FOR NURSING MOTHERS
AND INFANTS.
The amount of convalescent home treatment provided for nursing
mothers and infants, during the years 1925 and 1926, is shown in Table
No. 47. During 1926, four of the cases were sent to Homes free of charge.
The remainder contributed according to their resources. Of applications
made for convalescent treatment, it is found that over 40 per cent,
are subsequently withdrawn, owing to domestic circumstances rendering
it impossible for the mother to leave her home. The period of convalescence
granted is two weeks,