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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No. of Infants receiving out-patient treatment—
| New Cases | 879 |
| Attendances | 4,961 |
| No. of Mothers in the Institution at the beginning of the year | 10 |
| No. admitted during the year | 44 |
| No. discharged during the year | 44 |
| No. in at the end of the year | 10 |
| Average duration of stay of each mother in the Institution | 26 days |
| No. of Mothers receiving out-patient treatment in connection with the re-establishment of breast-milk | 334 |
Owing to the lease of the premises in Trebovir Road expiring, this institution is about to
remove to new buildings in the Borough of Hornsey. Excellent pioneer work has been carried
out by the Mothercaft Training Society but the number of Kensington patients treated each year
has been small, and the removal will not reduce to any appreciable extent the adequacy of the
Child Welfare services available to Kensington mothers.
Those children in need of the specialised form of treatment given will still be able to attend
the institution after removal to Highgate Hill.
NATIONAL CHILDREN'S ADOPTION ASSOCIATION HOSTEL.
(Tower Cressy, Campden Hill).
This institution is situated in the Borough, but the work is national rather than local.
Unwanted infants are received from various parts of the country and are cared for until adopted by
some reputable person.
RECORD OF WORK DONE IN 1924.
| Number of children in the institution at the commencement of the year | 19 |
| Number admitted during the year | 100 |
| Number discharged during the year | 104 |
| Number in residence at the end of the year | 15 |
| Average duration of stay of each child in the institution | 44 days |
THE CREAGH NURSERY TRAINING SCHOOL.
(No. 38, Holland Villas Road).
This institution was opened in 1923, and has accommodation for 28 infants. As in the case
of the National Children's Adoption Association Hostel at Tower Cressy, unwanted infants are
received from various parts of the country, and cared for until adopted by some reputable person;
in addition, young ladies are trained in mothercraft.
RECORD OF WORK DONE IN 1924.
| Number of children in the institution at the commencement of the year | 22 |
| Number admitted during tne year | 36 |
| Number discharged during the year | 36 |
| Number in residence at the end of the year | 22 |
| Duration of stay of each child in the institution | 7 months |
CONVALESCENT HOMES.
In 1924, the Borough Council paid subscriptions of £16 16s. 0d. to the Evelyn Convalescent
Cottage Home, Wargrave, Berkshire, and £8 8s. Od. to the Hambledon Cottage Home, Surrey.
In addition £2 2s. Od. were paid to the Taplow Convalescent Home for one bed in that institution
when the Evelyn Home was closed.
During the summer months, thirteen mothers with their babies and two without babies were
sent to one or other of these Convalescent Homes for a fortnight's holiday.
HOME HELPS.
One application for a Home Help under the Council's scheme was granted during the year.
HOME NURSING.
Nurses of the Kensington District Nursing Association undertake, when requested by the
Medical Officer of Health, the home nursing of measles, german measles, whooping cough,
ophthalmia, zymotic enteritis, tuberculosis and any other disease for which nursing assistance is
required, In addition, the Association retain on their staff a trained nurse who is also a qualified
midwife and who is available for the nursing of certain maternity and ophthalmia cases in which it
is inadvisable, from the point of view of the spread of infection, for a midwife to continue in
attendance.