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
Deptford 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford Borough]
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| Enguiries re | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Visits. | Re-visits. | Total. | |
| Measles | 451 | 198 | 649 |
| Infectious Disease recoveries | 15 | 1 | 16 |
| Whooping Cough | 31 | 20 | 51 |
| Scabies | 85 | 45 | 130 |
| Pneumonia | 1 | — | 1 |
| Visits to Foster Children | 1 | 26 | 27 |
| Miscellaneous visits | 506 | 172 | 678 |
| Total (over 5 years) | 1,090 | 462 | 1,552 |
| To expectant mothers | 1032 | 399 | 1431 |
| To Puerperal Fever or Pyrexia | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| Maternal death enquiry | 1 | — | 1 |
| To Common Lodging Houses | 14 | 51 | 65 |
| Total other visits | 1,059 | 452 | 1,511 |
| Unsuccessful visits | 824 | 1543 | 2367 |
| Totals | 6,350 | 19,262 | 25,612 |
In the case of the 1,388 infants visited shortly after birth, it was
found that 1,233 infants were being breast-fed and 67 partly breast-fed.
Only 88 were entirely hand-fed.
Student Health Visitors.
By arrangement with the College of Nursing, we have had students,
each for a period of six weeks, working with the Health Visitors.
The students are State Registered Nurses and qualified midwives, who
are taking a course of instruction for the Health Visitors' Certificate,
and do part of their practical work with us. They help in the Infant
Welfare Centres and do a certain number of re-visits, measles visits, etc.,
under the supervision of the Health Visitors.