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 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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visitors to expand these activities (see page 101). The following tabic gives comparative statistics:
| Ante-natal | Post-natal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 117 | 957 | 29,917 | 184,018 | 52 | 31 | 263 |
| 1950 | 114 | 910 | 26,979 | 176,993 | 50 | 6 | 31 |
| 1951 | 112 | 905 | 24,819 | 162,667 | 45 | 6 | 17 |
| 1952 | 115 | 1,145 | 21,959 | 145,088 | 41 | 5 | 11 |
| Year | Post-natal—contd. | Special breast feeding | Educational | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendances | ||||||||
| First | Total | |||||||
| At post-natal clinics | At combined ante- and post-natal clinics | At post-natal clinics | At combined ante- and post-natal clinics | Sessions per month | Total attendances | Sessions per month | Total attendances | |
| 1949 | 2,614 | 3,225 | 3,396 | 4,090 | 44 | 1,554 | 133 | 21,779 |
| 1950 | 2,534 | 3,400 | 3,335 | 3,920 | 41 | 1,436 | 138 | 22,681 |
| 1951 | 1,669 | 3,993 | 2,218 | 4,642 | 33 | 1,303 | 196 | 30,414 |
| 1952 | 530 | 3,888 | 1,031 | 4,479 | 22 | 1,119 | 216 | 33,596 |
In some divisions relaxation exercise classes for expectant mothers have been started
Physio-therapists and health visitors have co-operated in this aspect of the preparatior
of the expectant mother for childbirth.
Tests
every expectant mother attending the Council s ante-natal clinics tor tne First time
has a specimen of her blood taken in order that tests may be made for the Rhesus factor
and for the Wassermann and Kahn reactions. In Rhesus negative cases further specimens
are taken for antibody tests at the thirty-fourth week and the Council's midwives
also take cord blood in those Rhesus negative cases which are fit for home confinement.
Towards the end of the year, arrangements were made for routine haemoglobin tests
to be carried out in eight divisions.
The necessary laboratory services continued to be carried out at hospital laboratories
free of charge. Pregnancy diagnosis tests are carried out for the Council at certain
hospital laboratories or at the Ministry of Health's laboratory in Shrodell's Hospital,
Watford.
Mothercratt
training
The educational activities at the maternity and child welfare centres have been reviewed
as the result of a report of a small working party of officers representing medical and
nursing opinion and considerable expansion has already taken place. Details are given
in the section on health education (page 101).
The Violet Melchett Infant Welfare Centre, a voluntary organisation undertaking
services on behalf of the Council under section 22 of the National Health Service Act,
1946, maintains a residential unit where treatment is provided for mothers and babies
experiencing breast feeding difficulties and for babies with dietetic upsets. The North
Islington Infant Welfare Centre, a voluntary organisation undertaking services on
behalf of the Council under section 22, provides similar non-residential facilities.
Rehabilitation
)f mothers
Approval was given by the Minister or Health to an addition to the Council s
proposals, to provide, where necessary, for expectant and nursing mothers, and mothers