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
London County Council 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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In the south-western division it was found desirable to close the centre at the
divisional medical offices at Stowey House and to re-open it at the Stock well treatment
centre, whereupon the difficulties which had attended the running of the centre largely
disappeared, and in its new habitat it became so successful that a sub-centre in
Southwark proved desirable.
Sub-centres were also established in the poorer neighbourhoods of the north,
north-eastern and south-eastern divisions, so that there now exist five main centres
and six sub-centres distributed as below
| Division | Centres and sub-centres | Date of opening | Physician in charge | Day and time of session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Particulars of attendances at nutrition centres during 1936 are shown below :—
Number of appointments made for new cases ... 707
Attendances: new cases519
old cases 1,381
1,900
Number discharged : no longer needing supervision 74
leaving school 20
— 94
Number of sessions 271
The centres have attracted much attention and many visitors both from
home and abroad. General approbation has been extended to them and the only
suggestions have been directed towards extension and elaboration. As was partly
foreseen and hoped the centres are becoming the loci of intensive study of nutritional
conditions.
Of great interest is the photometric investigation of vitamin A deficiency
which Dr. Leslie Harris of the Nutritional Laboratory of the University of Cambridge
is conducting at the Poplar centre. Although at the outset the centres were intended
to be places of study and advice only, one after another of the physicians in charge