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
City of Westminster 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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83
The following figures give an approximate number of the births in
the four areas divided for the purposes of maternity and child
welfare:—
1, Pimlico Road. 15, Bessborough St. 30, Page St. 9, Frith St.
377 381 314 298
The health visitors attached to those centres visit the homes for
the purpose of supplementing the instructions of the medical officers,
and of advising as to how those instructions should be carried out. Home
visiting is of prime importance in maternity and child welfare, and its
place cannot be taken by teaching groups of mothers at the centre. In
the home the visitor, by seeing the actual conditions, can appreciate any
difficulties with which the mother may be contending, and much can be
cleared up in the course of a quiet talk. Visits of inquiry are necessary
in cases of ophthalmia, measles, and other infectious diseases. The
following table shows the number of visits paid in connection with the
four centres:—
Table VIII.
| Pimlico Road. | Bessborough Street. | Frith Street. | Page Street. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-natal— First visits | 242 | 210 | 128 | 164 | 744 |
| Other visits | 537 | 272 | 201 | 340 | 1.350 |
| Children under 1 year of age— First visits | 401 | 385 | 316 | 265 | 1,367 |
| Other visits | 1,806 | 1,367 | 1,373 | 1,143 | 5,089 |
| Children over 1 and under 5 years— Visits | 2,859 | 1,846 | 2,921 | 2,439 | 10,065 |
| Death enquiries, still-births, &c | 40 | 44 | 33 | 20 | 137 |
| Infectious diseases | 594 | 348 | 206 | 224 | 1,372 |
The Council's midwife paid 599 visits before, and 433 after, confinements
which are not included in the above Table.
Infant Clinics.—These are held at the following centres at the times
mentioned:—
Council's Centres—
1, Pimlico Road—2 p.m. Wednesday. 2 p.m. Friday.
15, Bessborough Street—2 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Tuesday
(combined with ante-natal clinic).
9, Frith Street—2 p.m. Wednesday.
Westminster Health Society—
30, Page Street—2 p.m. Tuesday. 2 p.m. Friday.
It will be noted from the following table of attendances that the
work at the centres continues satisfactorily, as shown by the average
attendance per session. The comparative totals since 1923 are also
shown:—