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 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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Of the 114 cases of overcrowding on the Register at the end of 1944 :—
11 were found to be abated by removal, and a further
5 by a natural reduction in the size of the family, or on obtaining additional accommodation ;
39 were found to be temporarily abated in consequence of members of the family serving with H.M. Forces,
etc.;
49 were still overcrowded; and
10 could not be investigated as no one could be found to answer inquiries.
54 new cases of overcrowding were discovered during the year, of which four were abated by removal.
Two overcrowded families were provided with accommodation by the Council, and two others secured accommodation
privately.
During the year Associated Fumigators, Limited, under an Agreement with the Council, removed and treated
the furniture, etc. of four families with hydrogen cynaide gas. The cost of the work was £13.
maternity & child welfare.—The question of improvements in the administrative arrangements in
connection with the Maternity & Child Welfare Services was considered, and as a consequence it was decided
to separate the supervision of the Clinic and District work and for this purpose to appoint a " Superintendent of the
Welfare Centre & Clinics " in addition to the Superintendent Health Visitor. The duties of the first-mentioned were
allotted to Miss E. Davies, the former Superintendent Health Visitor, and Miss E. L. Donovan was appointed Superintendent
Health Visitor in her stead with effect from the 1st September. It was also thought desirable to provide
suitable assistance for the doctors at the various clinics, and for this purpose a State Registered Nurse with C.M.B.
qualifications was appointed.
Dr. E. R. Emslie, the Assistant Medical Officer for Maternity & Child Welfare, relinquished her duties as Public
Vaccinator and her whole time is now devoted to Maternity & Child Welfare.
The Health Visiting staff at the end of the year comprised the Superintendents above-mentioned and 14 Health Visitors (including one seconded to the Ministry of Health and one employed with the Rehousing Department).
| Home Visiting : | |
|---|---|
| First visits to children under 1 year | 1,744 |
| Revisits | 12,523 |
| 14,267 | |
| Visits to children ages 1-5 years | 11,196 |
| First visits to expectant mothers | 1,092 |
| Revisits | 954 |
| 2,046 | |
| Other Visits : | |
|---|---|
| Sickness (including Puerperal Fever, Puerperal Pyrexia, Ophthalmia Neonatorum and Infantile Diarrhœa) | 441 |
| Miscellaneous (including ineffective calls) | 6,422 |
| 6,863 | |
The number of children on the Health Visitors' lists at the close of the year was 5,892.
consultation centres.—Following on the return home of evacuated mothers and children it became necessary to
provide additional maternity and infant consultations and to resume certain other facilities which were suspended
on the outbreak of war.