London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
The following is a summary of the work during 1929 at the Council's Dental Clinic, No. 10, John Street, open on Thursday afternoons for nursing or expectant mothers, and children under five years of age:—
| Women. | Children. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of sessions held | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Number of new Patients | 26 | 35 | 61 |
| Total attendances | 203 | 81 | 284 |
| Extractions— | |||
| Without anæsthetic | - | 1 | 1 |
| With local anæsthetic | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| With general anæsthetic | 44 | 31 | 75 |
| Scaling | 15 | - | 15 |
| Dressings (of teeth before final filling) | 28 | 1 | 29 |
| Fillings— | |||
| Simple | 17 | 6 | 23 |
| Root | 1 | - | 1 |
| Dentures (including 6 repairs) | 22 | - | 22 |
| Advice | 40 | 38 | 78 |
In one case where the patient was very poor the denture was provided free
of charge; contributions towards the cost were required in 14 cases and in seven
instances the patients were required to pay the whole cost.
Supply of Milk and Food for Expectant and Nursing Mothers and for Infants.
The supply of milk and food at less than cost price was continued during the
year under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918, for nursing mothers,
expectant mothers in the last three months of pregnancy, children up to three
years of age and, exceptionally, to children between three and five years of age.
During the year 179 applicants received free or assisted milk under the scheme.
This number included 87 who were receiving such assistance at the end of 1928.
Grants were made to 92 new applicants.
At the end of the year 11)29, 80 applicants were receiving assistance, viz.:—
Mothers. Children. Total.
Free milk 43 24 67
Half-price milk 4 5 9
Prepared milk — 4 4
47 33 80
The following table shows in detail how the 92 new applicants were assisted in 1929 : —
| Milk. | Prepared Milk. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free. | Part Cost. | Free. | Part Cost. | |
| Expectant mothers | 17 | 1 | — | — |
| Nursing mothers | 29 | 1 | — | — |
| Children | 32 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
Home Help.
The Council's Home Help attended 24 cases during the year in comparison
with 24 in the year 1928. In eight of these the whole-time officer attended entirely
and in 13 she attended during the earlier part of the lying-in period, being replaced
later by one of the Home Helps from the emergency panel in order to take over
new cases. In three cases emergency Home Helps only were employed. The latter
were enagaged when more than one case occurred at the same time and during the
absence of the Home Help on summer vacation and sick leave.