London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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33
Home Helps.
One hundred and twenty-four applications were received for the provision of home helps under
the council's scheme. The assistance requested was granted in 100 cases for a period of 14 days each ;
in four cases for one month ; in eight cases for three weeks ; in four cases for one week ; in one case
for nine days ; four applicants cancelled their requests ; and three applications were not granted
by the sub-committee. The gross cost of the scheme to the council during the year was £165 4s. 3d.
Supply of Extra Nourishment for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and for Infants.
The Council have paid special attention to the means by which the nutrition and health of the
poorer mothers and infants in the borough might be improved. The beneficial influence of the free
milk grants has been recognised, and the council have decided to increase their expenditure in this
respect. They have provided a sum of £3,500 in their estimates for the financial year 1936-37 to
meet the increased demand. A further £300 has been provided in the estimates for the provision
of adexolin for mothers and cod liver oil or its equivalent for children.
In the year, 3,364 grants of milk were made by the council's applications sub-committee. Nine
hundred and fifty-six of the grants were in response to new applications, and the remaining 2,408
were renewals of grant. Under the council's scheme, 160,496 pints of fresh milk were granted free
of charge at a cost to the council of £1,917 12s. 0d., and 5,531 packets of dried milk were granted free
of charge at a cost of £391 0s. 5d.

The following table gives particulars of the dried milk supplied at cost price:—

Name of welfare centre at which the dried milk was distributed.No. of 1-lb. packets sold.Value of milk sold.
£s.d.
Archer Street71507
Bramley Road1,14277148
Campden Hill50034177
Golborne3982857
Kenley Street52236196
Lancaster Road3,434241710
Raymede1,62511486
South Kensington5424461
Sutton Trust33022142
Baby Clinic1521068
Totals8,71661612

The facilities for the supply of free dinners to expectant and nursing mothers have been
improved, and there are now eight dinner centres in North Kensington where these are supplied.
The council have also considered it expedient that certain expectant and nursing mothers should
receive free dinners in addition to free grants of milk. One hundred and fifty applications for dinners
were granted ; 42 of these were new applications, and 108 were renewals. The cost of the dinners
amounted to £140. The total number of dinners supplied was 6,600.
In June, 1932, the council approved of a scheme whereby extra nourishment could be granted
by the public assistance authority through the council's maternity and child welfare service to
expectant and nursing mothers in receipt of out-door relief. The grants made at the expense of the
London county council during the year were as follows :—
1,708 pints of milk at a cost of £24 14s. 6£d.
51 packets of dried milk at a cost of £3 15s. Id.
In 1934, the county council and the borough council agreed to extend the scheme so that those
women attending ante-natal clinics at the county council hospitals who were not in receipt of relief,
but were needing extra nourishment, could be assisted by grant of extra nourishment at the
expense of the borough council. Help given under this heading is included in the total
expenditure of the borough council given above.
Birth Control and Gynaecological Clinics.
The council have an arrangement with the North Kensington Women's Welfare Centre at
No. 12, Telford Road, whereby women attending the infant welfare centres in the borough can
receive birth control advice and gynaecological treatment at the former institution. The birth control
advice is given to married women only, and is based on medical requirements only.
During 1935, 207 new Kensington patients were given advice at the birth control sessions.
The gynaecological treatment is provided for both married and unmarried women, and
117 Kensington patients attended the sessions, their total attendances amounting to 700.
The council recognised the good work which had been carried out by the North Kensington
Women's Welfare Centre, and at the beginning of 1935 they increased their grant from £25 to £50.
This grant was in respect of both birth control advice and gynaecological treatment.