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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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55
Ante-natal Work.—The supervision of expectant mothers is recognised
to be of increasing importance, and for this purpose it is extremely
desirable that they should avail themselves of the expert advice obtainable
at the centres and at the hospitals. The following table shows the
number of cases which were dealt with through the various centres and
how they became known to the health visitors. The co-operation of
the hospitals with the welfare centres continues, and there is interchange
of much useful information between those bodies which should result in
greatly improved conditions for confinements. The number of births was
1,152 and the number of expectant mothers dealt with by the centres,
777. This proportion, amounting to over 67 per cent., is a satisfactory
indication of the manner in which the Council's Maternity and Child
Welfare service is meeting the needs of the community.
Table II.—Ante-natal Cases.
| Name of Hospital. | City Council's Centres. | Westminster Health Society. | Totals. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebury Bridge. | No. 15, Bessborough Street. | Marshall Street. | Marsham Street. | ||
| General Lying-in | 11 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 43 |
| St. George's | 15 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 34 |
| Westminster | 23 | 34 | 3 | 16 | 76 |
| St. Thomas's | 1 | 2 | _ | 1 | 4 |
| Charing Cross | 3 | 9 | 20 | 1 | 39 |
| Middlesex | — | 1 | 21 | 1 | 23 |
| Elizabeth Garrett Anderson | — | 1 | 2 | — | 3 |
| St. Stephen's | — | 7 | — | 2 | 9 |
| Queen Charlotte's | _ | _ | _ | — | _ |
| St. Mary's | — | — | — | — | — |
| Clapham Maternity | — | — | — | — | — |
| Royal Free | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woolwich | — | — | — | — | — |
| Found by Health Visitors | 76 | 100 | 22 | 44 | 242 |
| By Private Doctors and Mid-wives | ¯ | ¯ | ¯ | 1 | 1 |
| Reported to Centre voluntarily | 118 | 81 | 22 | 82 | 303 |
| Totals | 247 | 264 | 104 | 162 | 777 |
Ante-natal Visiting.—To the 777 expectant mothers who became
known to the centres, primary visits were paid by health visitors.
Subsequent visits were also paid to these cases to the number of 1,685.
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