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
Kensington 1924
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1924
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Raymede Infant Welfare Centre.
This Centre serves parts of the St. Charles and Golborne Wards, and is one of the largest
institutions in Kensington. The corner house, in which the Centre is established, is particularly
well adapted for the work to be carried out. Infant consultations are held on three afternoons
each week and ante-natal sessions every Friday. A dental clinic is attached to the Centre.
Sewing Classes are held weekly. Dinners are provided free of cost or at reduced prices for
necessitous mothers and children. Various clubs for the benefit of mothers are organised.
Special meetings for fathers are arranged from time to time.
The total attendances of mothers during the year were 5,929, and those of children 12,230.
In 1923, a Children's Massage, Medical Gymnastics, and Electrical Treatment Clinic was
established on the premises at this Centre.
THE BABY CLINIC, No. 92, TAVISTOCK ROAD.
In the early part of the year the Committee of this institution acquired new and more
commodious premises at No. 92, Tavistock Road, and on loth July, 1924, they were formally
opened by the ex-Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Macdonald.
The Baby Clinic acts both as a Treatment Centre and Infant Welfare Centre, but it is not an
Infant Welfare Centre in the same sense as the other seven; nevertheless, much valuable work is
performed.
The following are the records for the year ending December 31st, 1924:—
| Number of sessions at which doctors attended for infant consultations | 150 |
| Number of sessions at which doctors attended for special ante-natal and post-natal consultations | 51 |
| Total number of individual mothers who attended during year | 159 |
| Total number of individual children who attended during year (Old) | 784 |
| (New) | 708 |
| Total attendances at Centre of mothers for all purposes (excluding the accompanying of children) | 459 |
| Total attendances of children at Centre for all purposes | 9,670 |
| Number seen by doctor at consultations:— | |
| 1. Ante-natal mothers | 255 |
| 2. Post-natal mothers | 204 |
| 3. Children | 6,750 |
| Average number seen by doctor at consultations:— | |
| 1. Ante-natal mothers | 5 |
| 2. Post-natal mothers | 4 |
| 3. Children | 45 |
| Number of individual children weighed | 1,492 |
| Total weighings | 6,750 |
Collective instruction by lectures is not undertaken at Tavistock Road, also, there is little
home visiting.
Under an arrangement with the County Council, certain minor defects and ailments
discovered in children at the school medical examinations are treated at this Clinic and much
useful work in this direction is being carried out.
LADBROKE ROAD BABY IN-PATIENT HOSPITAL. This institution, which was opened in 1919, has 19 beds for the treatment of sub-acute and chronic diseases.
| Records for the year 1924:— | |
|---|---|
| Number of infants in residence at commencement of year | 16 |
| Number of admissions during the year | 90 |
| Number of discharges during the year | 82 |
| Number of deaths during the year | 7 |
| Number in residence at end of year | 17 |
| Average duration of stay in hospital | 55 days |
As in previous years the Council made a grant of £200 to the Authorities of the Hospital towards
the maintenance for a further period of twelve months of two beds therein, to be placed at the
disposal of the Infant Welfare Centres serving the Borough, the grant to be subject to the same
conditions as in 1923, viz: that provision shall be made for the doctors in attendance at the
Centres to continue in the hospital, if they so desire, the supervision of the cases recommended by
them, and that the Medical Officer of Health shall continue a representative of the Council on the
Committee of Management and shall be furnished with the names and addresses of patients
admitted from within the Borough, together with the dates of their admission and discharge.
Although two beds are reserved for children recommended from the various Kensington Welfare
Centres, all the beds are available for children belonging to the Borough.