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 1939
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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Vaccination.
There were 2,247 births reported in 1938 to the
vaccination officer by the Kensington registrars. By the 31st
December, 1939, 61.01 per cent, of these had been vaccinated or
were insusceptible to vaccination- The other 38,99 per cent,
are accounted for as follows:-
Statutory declarations of objection 12.33%
Died before vaccination 5. 25%
Referred to other districts 12.91%
Removed, leaving no trace. 7.74%
Postponed, or unaccounted for 0.76%
(in addition by the 31st December, 1939, 352
certificates of successful vaccination had been received in
respect of children living in Kensington who were born outside
the borough during 1938.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.
Health Visiting Staff. The work performed by the health visiting staff during 1939 in regard to maternity and child welfare is summarised in the following table:-
| First visits to infants (0-1 year) | 1,509 |
| Re-Visits to infants ( 0-1 year) | 6,855 |
| Visits to children between 1 and 5 years | 12,441 |
| Stillbirth enquiries | 82 |
| Visits to ophthalmia neonatorum cases. | 10 |
| Return visits to ophthalmia cases | 17 |
| Visits to measles cases. | 51 |
| Visits to whooping-cough cases. | 1,087 |
| Visits to puerperal fever cases | 7 |
| Visits to puerperal pyrexia cases. | 28 |
| Visits to enteritis cases | 53 |
| Infantile death enquiries. | 82 |
| Investigations re milk applications | 254 |
| Pre-natal visits | 3,826 |
| Half-days at welfare centres | 2,000 |
| Special visits | 5,284 |
Infant Welfare Centres. The work at these institutions during 1939 is shown in the following table:-
| Births occurring in the area suitable for welfare attention | 1,584 |
| Sessions at which doctor attended for prenatal consultations | 389 |
| Individual mothers who attended pre-natal sessions during the year | 1,212 |
| Attendances- of pre-natal mothers | 6,656 |
| Sessions at which doctor attended for infant consultations | 873 |
| Individual children who attended during year | |
| 0-1 year | 1,954 |
| 1-5 years | 2,040 |
| Attendances of children during the year | |
| 0-1 year | 8,534 |
| 1-5 years. | 6,066 |
| Attendances at centres of children for all | |
| purposes 0-1 year | 19,132 |
| 1-5 year | 12,239 |
| weighings. | 29,167 |
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