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
Holborn 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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82
During the year 270 applicants received free or assisted milk under the scheme.
This number included 103 who were receiving such assistance at the end of 1931.
Grants were made to 167 new applicants.
At the end of the year 1932, 157 applicants were receiving assistance, viz.:
| Mothers. | Children. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free milk | 38 | 116 | 154 |
| Half-price milk | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Prepared milk | — | 1 | 1 |
| 39 | 118 | 157 |
The following table shows in detail how the 167 new applicants were assisted in 1932:—
| Milk. | Prepared Milk. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free. | Part Cost. | Free. | Part Cost. | |
| Expectant mothers | 36 | 1 | — | — |
| Nursing mothers | 28 | 3 | — | — |
| Children | 85 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
Home Help.
The Council's Home Helps attended 19 cases during the year in comparison
with 26 in the year 1931. In nine of these the whole-time officer attended entirely
and in six 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 four cases an emergency Home Help only was employed.
The emergency Home Helps were engaged when more than one case occurred at
the same time and during the absence of the Home Help on summer vacation and
sick leave.
All applications for the services of the Home Help are considered by the
Assistance Sub-Committee of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.
In seven cases of extreme necessity the services of the Home Help were
granted free. In all other cases the applicants were required to contribute towards
the cost, contributions ranging from 1s. 0d. per week up to the full cost. The
services of the Home Help have been much appreciated ; it had been found that the
Council's provision meets a much felt want in the Borough.
The schema of Home Helps could with advantage be extended to any illness
of mothers occurring during pregnancy and after labour. It would also be very
useful to heads of families if they could obtain through the Council the services
of a reliable woman to carry out the duties of the mother when she is incapacitated
by illness, the cost being borne by the applicant.