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
Paddington 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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Dental Treatment can also be obtained for mothers and children from Paddington Centres, at
the local Hospitals, and at the Eastman Dental Clinic, Royal Free Hospital, Gray's Inn Road.
Lectures on Health Topics are provided from time to time.
Co-operation with Personal Service League.—Grants of clothes for cases recommended by Health
Visitors are received at No. 232, Harrow Road, W.2, for distribution.
Convalescent and Holiday Homes.—Mothers and children are sent to Convalescent end Holiday
Homes on recommendation of Medical Officers at Centres. Financial assistance is given in many cases.
The Vest Fund is maintained by a small Association of Ladies connected with the School, who
knit garments and woollies which are sold at low cost to mothers at the Centres.
The stock of clothing and the financial balance are augmented by gifts from friends, and the money
realised is spent on dentures, convalescence, etc.
Consultation Centres.
Summary of Work for the Year 1933.
| Harrow Road. | Third Avenue. | Macroom Road. | St. Mary's Terrace. | Queens- boro' Passage. | Totals. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tues. | Thurs. | Tues. | Fri. | Wed. | Thurs. | Wed. | Fri. | Mon. | ||
| Number of Sessions | 51 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 52 | 51 | 48 | 455 |
| Number of Attendances | 2036 | 2187 | 3234 | 2501 | 2378 | 2074 | 1995 | 2947 | 2937 | 22289 |
| Average Attendance | 39.9 | 42.8 | 63.4 | 50.2 | 46.6 | 41.4 | 38.3 | 57.7 | 61.1 | 48.9 |
| Seen by Doctor | 955 | 962 | 1374 | 1124 | 854 | 877 | 756 | 1068 | 1373 | 9343 |
| Average number seen by Doctor at each Session | 18.7 | 18.8 | 26.9 | 22.4 | 16.7 | 17.5 | 14.5 | 20.9 | 28.6 | 20.5 |
The total number of children attending the consultations was 2,262, 998 being under 1 year of
age and 1,264 between the ages of 1 and 5 years.
Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Clinics.
Harrow Road. Macroom Road.
Number of Sessions 48 51
Number of Attendances 502 385
Number of Expectant or Recently Confined Mothers
who Attended 245 153
Average Attendance per Session 10.4 7.5
Number of Cases Referred by Midwives in Private
Practice 3 20
Consultative and Physical Treatment Centre.
Number of Attendances 2,832
Number of Cases 239 (of which 159 were new)
Classification of Cases—
Artificial Sunlight only 80
Artificial Sunlight and Massage 94
Massage only 53
Dietetic only 12
Treatments given—
Artificial Sunlight 1,804
Massage 1,670
Dr. Cove-Smith reports:—
"The diet of most of the children attending this Centre calls for careful consideration and frequent .
revision, as the parents find starchy foods and cereals the cheapest to give, without realising that
thereby they neutralise the good effect of what vitamin containing food they can afford. Lack of
appetite through insufficient variation in the diet or a deficiency in Vitamin B has always to be in
our minds.
The research on vitamin concentrates that was mentioned in last year's report has been persevered
with and it is found that mixed concentrates of A and D are less effective in combating catarrhal
conditions than when used alone. This is apparently due to the necessity for preserving a proportionate
balance between these accessory food factors.