London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Wandsworth 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]

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66 Report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1938.
There were 4,056 births during the year, and 3,653 of these,
or 90.0 per cent., were visited compared with 84.0 in 1937, 86.5
in 1936 and 90.0 in 1935.
It was found that in 279 of the births, doctors had been in
attendance, while in 861 the services of midwives had been
utilised. 2,718 infants were born in hospitals and other institutions.
The following Table shows the number of occasions on which
the Health Visitors attended clinics, etc.

TABLE XXIX.

Clapham.Putney.Balham.Streatham.Tooting.Wandsworth.Whole Borough.
Attendances at:—
Infant Welfare Centres2352451904313905202011
Diphtheria Prevention Clinics5553108
Ante-natal Clinics7524315228114324
Visits to Crèches20121648
Committee Meetings7262319360

Infant Welfare Centres.
There are 13 Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough. Eleven
of these are voluntary institutions administered by their own
Committees and two are Municipal Clinics under the direct
administration of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.
The first Municipal Clinic was opened in the Public Health
Section of the Municipal Buildings on 1st September, 1937. The
second one has been opened during the year under review on the
1st April, 1938, at the Baptist Church Hall, Longley Road, Tooting.
It was decided that this additional clinic was required because
the area served by the centre at Fairlight Hall was too large. A
weekly session is held at the new clinic, and the number of sessions
at Fairlight Hall has been reduced from two to one per week.