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* Excluding central administration.
REPORTS BY THE DIVISIONAL MEDICAL OFFICERS
Division 1, comprising the boroughs of Chelsea, Fulliam, Hammersmith, and
Kensington.
Dr. Violet Russell reports:—
General
The year 1950 showed a continued expansion in the health services in the
division. Excellent work was carried out among mothers and children in the sixteen
infant welfare centres and in the schools. Extra facilities had to be provided for
vaccination, chiropody, orthoptics and nutrition sessions. The number of vaccinations
carried out in the division rose from 4,348 in 1949 to 5,216 in 1950. The home
help service was considerably extended during the year; in 1949 the number of
households attended was 4,022 and in 1950 it rose to 6,210. Another service showing
a marked increase was the registered " child-minders " for the daily care of children
whose mothers are working : these increased from 81 in 1949 to 178 in 1950.
Day
nurseries
The demand for places in the day nurseries continued to exceed the accommodation.
At the beginning of the year the Australia Road Nursery in Hammersmith
was closed, the site being needed for other purposes. The new nursery in Westway
which will ultimately replace it had not passed the plan stage by the end of the
year. In Fulham some relief was furnished by the opening of the Mulgrave Day
Nursery, on September 7th, 1950; this is a larger nursery than the St. Andrew's
Nursery, which it replaced, the net gain in accommodation being 21 places. By
a rearrangement of the rooms at the Fulham Babies' Day Nursery the accommodation
was raised from 22 to 28 places.
Unfortunately severe dry rot was discovered in Eridge House Nursery, Fulham,
which had in consequence to be closed for drastic repairs from August 4th, 1950,
and had not reopened at the end of the year.
Tuberculosis
Care
Committee
The first meeting of the Divisional Tuberculosis Care Committee was held in
October, 1950. The Committee noted that an active voluntary care committee
existed in each of the four boroughs of the division and were satisfied that the social
work, so important in connection with tuberculosis, was being adequately carried
out. They decided to meet twice a year when reports on the work accomplished
by each of the four local committees would receive careful consideration.