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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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The following is a record of the work carried out by the child life protection visitor:—
| Visits paid to homes | 1,393 |
| Special visits paid | 102 |
| Children removed voluntarily | 157 |
| ,, ,, compulsorily | - |
| „ „ to hospital | 22 |
| Deaths reported | 4 |
| Cases in which there was cause for complaint | 2 |
| Cases recommended for prosecution | 2 |
| Foster-mothers added to register | 29 |
| „ „ removed from register | 55 |
| ,, ,, on register on 1st January | 150 |
| ,, „ „ „ 31st December | 124 |
| Foster-children ,, ,, „ ,, | 166 |
From the above table it will be seen that two foster-mothers were recommended for prosecution
in 1936. Each had care of a child without having previously notified the local authority as
required by section 67 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1932. In one case the woman
admitted that she knew that she should have notified its reception, and the Bench imposed a fine of
fifteen shillings and five shillings costs. In the second case a fine of five shillings was imposed.
Four deaths of foster-children were reported. In each case inquiries were made, and it is
satisfactory to be able to report that there was no occasion for complaint against the foster-mother.
Professional Nursing in the Home.
As in past years, the Kensington District Nursing Association continued to carry out
professional nursing in the homes of the poor. The number of cases nursed during 1936 was
2,195 and the number of visits paid was 47,114.
The following is a table of cases attended and visits paid by nurses of the Association on behalf of the council from the 1st January to the 31st December, 1936:—
| Cases. | Visits. | |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity cases | 38 | 727 |
| Miscarriages | 15 | 181 |
| Pneumonia (5 years of age and over) | 36 | 605 |
| „ (under 5 years of age) | 15 | 174 |
| Ophthalmia neonatorum and other inflammations of the eyes of newly-born children | 13 | 201 |
| Influenza (5 years of age and over) | 67 | 568 |
| „ (under 5 years of age) | 5 | 54 |
| Enteritis and diarrhœa | 140 | 1,223 |
| Tuberculosis (5 years of age and over) | 23 | 920 |
| Measles (5 years of age and over) | 33 | 410 |
| „ (under 5 years of age) | 114 | 1,463 |
| ,, and pneumonia (5 years of age and over) | 9 | 156 |
| „ ,, (under 5 years of age) | 22 | 404 |
| Whooping cough (5 years of age and over) | 2 | 14 |
| „ „ (under 5 years of age) | 4 | 86 |
| Chicken-pox (5 years of age and over) | 2 | 14 |
| ,, (under 5 years of age) | 7 | 77 |
| Erysipelas | 1 | 38 |
| Acute rheumatism | 7 | 163 |
| Puerperal pyrexia | 2 | 32 |
| Scarlet fever | 1 | 3 |
| Pemphigus | 3 | 82 |
| Totals | 559 | 7,595 |
For the services rendered, the council paid to the Association in 1936 a grant of £325.