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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35
The Aston Clinton and Wayside convalescent homes are open for the reception of patients
throughout the year, but the Evelyn and Hambledon homes are closed during the winter months.
The total cost to the council for convalescent treatment during the year was £81 14s. 9d.
In addition, the Invalid Children's Aid Association sent 70 Kensington pre-school children
for convalescence and the council made a grant of £40 to that organisation in respect of this service
In September last, the council agreed to take a bed in the new Zachary Merton convalescent
home which is being erected at Rustington, Sussex. The inclusive charge for one bed for a period
of twelve months is £75. The home will be open all the year round and will be available for mothers
and infants. It is expected that the home will be opened for the reception of patients in a few months'
time.
Day Nurseries.
There are four day nurseries in the borough, namely :—
The Golborne Day Nursery.
The Lancaster Road Day Nursery.
The Notting Hill Day Nursery.
The St. Clement's Day Nursery.
The following table shows a record of children's attendances at the day nurseries in 1936 :
| Golborne. | Lancaster Road. | Notting Hill. | St. Clement's. | Totals. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-day attendances of children under 3 years of age | 4,875 | 2,193 | 9,027 | 2,839 | 18,934 |
| Whole-day attendances of children over 3 years of age | 2,523 | 3,300 | 3,469 | 756 | 10,048 |
| Total whole-day attendances | 7,398 | 5,493 | 12,496 | 3,595 | 28,982 |
| Charges made for each attendance of a child | 8d. | 9d. | 6d. | Is. | — |
| Half-day attendances of children under 3 years of age | 587 | 587 | |||
| Half-day attendances of children over 3 years of age | _ | _ | 153 | 153 | |
| Total half-day attendances | — | _ | — | 740 | 740 |
| Charges made for each attendance of a child... | — | — | — | 6d. | — |
| Average daily attendance of children | 32 | 24-4 | 55-29 | 20 | — |
In December last, the maternity and child welfare committee approved of a scheme, which
was adopted by the council in January, 1937, for the admission of children of necessitous parents
to the above day nurseries at the cost of the council, and a sum of £200 has been placed in the estimates
for 1937-38 for this purpose.
Supply of Extra Nourishment for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and for Infants.
During the past year, 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. Previously it
had been the practice of the maternity and child welfare committee to limit their milk grants to
necessitous women in the last three months of pregnancy, nursing mothers, and infants under twelve
months of age ; but in January of the year under review they indicated that they were prepared
to receive applications from all necessitous expectant and nursing mothers, and children under
five years of age.
In the year, 4,000 grants of milk were made by the council's applications sub-committee. One
thousand and twenty-one of the grants were in response to new applications, and the remaining 2,979
were renewals of grant. Under the council's scheme, 194,352 pints of fresh milk were granted
free of charge at a cost to the council of £2,304 13s. Id., and 4,233 packets of dried milk were granted
free of charge at a cost of £299 16s. 4d.