Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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2.—Provision for Home Isolation.
Bedsteads and bedding lent —
3.—Disinfection after Death or Removal to Hospital.
Cases where beading, etc., was disinfected by steam 109
Number of rooms disinfected 142
4.—Specimens of Sputum from suspects examined bacteriologically
by the Lister Institute at the expense of the Council 121
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
From the point of view of Maternity and Child Welfare work, the year has been a very
satisfactory one in many ways; the infantile death rate has fallen considerably; the incidence of
ophthalmia neonatorum has decreased as compared with previous years; there was comparatively
little summer diarrhoea; and the arrangements made by the Council for the co-ordination of the work
of the voluntary agencies engaged on Child Welfare have continued to work smoothly and with
efficiency.
WOMEN HEALTH OFFICERS.
The Maternity and Child Welfare duties allotted to the Women Health Officers are as
follows:—
1. To visit the homes of all newly-born children amongst the working classes within
21 days after birth, and subsequently as circumstances indicate.
2. To visit the homes and make investigations in regard to still-births and infantile
deaths.
3. To visit and give advice to parents in cases of ophthalmia, diarrhoea and other diseases
causing deaths amongst infants.
4. To visit and report upon all cases of puerperal fever.
5. To investigate applications under the Council's Scheme for the supply of milk free or
below cost price.
These officers also attend at the Infant Welfare Centres in their respective areas on doctors'
consultation days in order to assist in the work and to co-ordinate their efforts with those of the
salaried and voluntary workers attached to these institutions.
The work performed by the Women Health Officers in 1922 in regard to Maternity and Child Welfare is summarised in the following table:—
Description of Work. | Health Officers. | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 | No 6 | No. 7 | Total | |
Visits to Infants under the age of 21 days. (First Visits) | 42 | 363 | 367 | 316 | 299 | 362 | 340 | 2,089 |
Re-visits to Infants under the age of 12 months | 56 | 639 | 497 | 980 | 1,118 | 734 | 790 | 4,814 |
Visits to Children between 1 and 5 years | 118 | 950 | 832 | 714 | 1,092 | 632 | 523 | 4,861 |
Still-birth enquiries | 1 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 44 |
Visits to Ophthalmia Cases | — | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 27 |
Return Visits to Ophthalmia Cases | — | 11 | 48 | 9 | 18 | 16 | 28 | 130 |
Visits to Measles Cases | 39 | 109 | 104 | 85 | 87 | 51 | 83 | 558 |
Visits to Whooping Cough Cases | 33 | 11 | 10 | — | — | 18 | 8 | 80 |
Visits to Puerperal Fever Cases | 1 | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | |
Infantile Death Enquiries | 12 | 43 | 32 | 21 | 22 | 33 | 40 | 203 |
Investigations re Milk Applications | 16 | 99 | 135 | 96 | 32 | 64 | 209 | 651 |
Ante-natal Visits | 13 | 91 | 11 | 16 | — | 42 | 49 | 222 |
Half-days at Welfare Centres | 12 | 142 | 141 | 140 | 96 | 82 | 150 | 763 |
Special Visits | 285 | 318 | 169 | 232 | 157 | 83 | 151 | 1395 |