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

View report page

Finsbury 1937

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

This page requires JavaScript

40
Special Cases.
Special cases are those in which it is often necessary for the
Health Visitor to pay daily or weekly visits owing to some special
condition requiring constant supervision. Details are set out
below:—
Nature of Cases.
Districts.
Total.
1 2 3 4 5
Prematurity 2 2 0 0 2 6
Respiratory 4 7 1 0 1 13
Intestinal 2 1 1 2 2 8
Marasmus 2 0 2 1 0 5
Illegitimacy 2 1 2 0 4 9
Twins 4 2 7 6 4 23
*Others 5 3 2 1 9 20
21 16 15 10 22 84
Results.
Died 2 3 3 2 2 12
Still "Special" 4 1 1 2 3 11
Satisfactory 15 10 10 6 14 55
Removed 0 2 1 0 3 6
21 16 15 10 22 84
* Others
Poor Progress 6
Ophthalmia 2
Underweight 3
Skin complaints 3
Neglect 2
Bad home conditions 1
Deformity 2
T.B. Contact 1
20
Fifty-five of the 84 babies dealt with as special cases recovered
satisfactorily; 12 died; 11 continued under close observation;
and 6 removed into other districts, to which their records were
forwarded in order that supervision might be continued.
All the above babies have been visited at least once a week,
and some daily, by the Health Visitor, whilst the babies were on
the Special Case Register.
One of the great difficulties in looking after these special
cases is ensuring the attendance of skilled medical help. Patients
who are not eligible for the District Medical Officer say they can