Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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The first clinic commenced on the 7th July, 1965 as a Wednesday evening session
at Amersham Road and it is associated with the Pathological Department of the
Miller General Hospital. The table below shows the findings from July, 1965 to
February, 1966:—
Total Smears | 401 |
Malignancy positive smears | 4 |
Cervical erosion | 103 |
Cervical polyps | 27 |
Trichomonas Vaginalis | 10 |
Pus and evidence of non-specific infection | 9 |
Moniliasis | 7 |
Uterine Fibroids | 6 |
Rectocele, cystocele or prolapse requiring treatment | 3 |
Ovarian Cyst | 1 |
Pregnancy | 1 |
Endometriosis | 1 |
The second clinic opened on January, 15th, 1966, as a morning session at Central
Lewisham Health Centre, in association with the Pathological Department of
Lewisham Hospital. During the part of January and whole of February, ninetyseven
patients were examined with an average attendance of sixteen per session.
The examinations and smears have shown the following abnormalities.
Total Smears | 97 |
Malignancy positive smears | 2 |
Cervical erosion | 45 |
Cervical polyps | 3 |
Trichomonas Vaginalis | 1 |
Pus and evidence of nonspecific infection | 2 |
Moniliasis | 1 |
Uterine fibroids | 4 |
Prolapse | 2 |
Stress incontinence | 1 |
The high proportion of abnormalities detected justifies the clinical procedures
adopted and the existence of the clinics.
At Amersham Road a Health Education Officer attends and instructs women on
the method of detection of cancer of the breasts, by palpation.
The Health Education team has played an important role in supporting cancer
prevention in the borough and talks have been given to groups of women in various
organisations or at privately organised gatherings. The demand has caused a two
months' waiting period for appointments and relief clinics have been arranged until
the third clinic opens.
One of the inhibiting factors in the project is the time involved in the microscopic
examination of the slides and the shortage of laboratory technicians. This shortage
of laboratory workers limits the number of women who can be examined.
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