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 1941
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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MATERNITY & CHILD WELFARE
Following on the decision to re-open the Westbourne Day Nursery
as a War-Time Nursery at the original premises in Great Western Road
it became necessary to recall the Matron from the evacuated Nursery at
Ascot to supervise the arrangements, and Miss D. K. Newington, Health
Visitor, took over duty at Ascot in her stead on the 22nd September,
which post she still occupied at the end of the year.
Miss M. M. Bathgate, Health Visitor, was seconded for duty with
the Ministry of Health as from the 1st July for the duration of the War.
The services of certain of the remaining Health Visitors continued to
"be utilised as required in connection with Civil Defence, in addition
to their normal duties.
Home visiting work during the year is summarised in the appended table:-
| First visits to children under 1 year of age | 885 |
| Revisits | 3841 |
| 4726 | |
| Visits to children between, the ages of 1 and 5 years | 6537 |
| First visits to expectant mothers | 725 |
| Revisits | 673 |
| 1398 | |
| i Other visits - | |
| Sickness (including Puerperal Fever, Puerperal Pyrexia, Ophthalmia Neonatorum and Infantile Diarrhoea) | 75 |
| Miscellaneous (including ineffective calls) | 5241 |
| 5316 | |
infant Consultations:- 310 sessions, 15,444 attendances by
2050 children.
Rate- and Post-Natal Clinics:- 105 sessions, 1254 attendances by
559 expectant or recently confined mothers.
Dental Treatment:- 14 nursing or expectant mothers received treatment
under arrangements made with Mr. F. H.
Brinckley Tofts, L.D.S., R.C.S. (Eng.)
Home Helps:- Provided in 45 cases.
fraternity Beds.- The agreement with St. Mary's Hospital became due for reconsideration
and it was decided to enter into a new arrangement as
from the 1st August, 1941, for the reservation of four beds at a
charge of 10s. 6d. per day per bod, but otherwise on the basis of
the general provisions of the existing agreement. This arrangement
will operate for the duration of the main hostilities of
the War and for six months afterwards. During the year 98 women
were delivered in the lard. There were 2 stillbirths, and no
deaths within 10 days of birth; 2 cases of puerperal pyrexia
were notified.
Extra Nourishment.- The first full year's working of the National Milk
Scheme is reflected in the fall in the number of cases dealt with
under the Council's scheme, which continues to operate in
necessitous cases where grants in excess of the Government standard
are needed on medical grounds, ana for the provision of ancillary