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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The annual lecture-demonstration course was attended by 45 midwives from London, Middlesex and Surrey who visited three maternity hospitals in London. The programme in October, 1955, was :
| Hospital | Subject and lecturer |
|---|---|
| British Hospital for Mothers and Babies, Samuel Street, Woolwich, S.E.18 | ' Preparation for Breast Feeding ' Miss Cynthia Grose, S.R.N., S.C.M., H.V. Cert. |
| ' Toxaemia of Pregnancy ' C. Keith Vartan, Esq., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.O.G. | |
| St. Thomas' Hospital, S.E.I | ' Neo-natal Emergencies ' B. D. R. Wilson, Esq., M.B., B.S. |
| General Lying-in Hospital, York Road, S.E.I | ' Ante-natal and Post-natal Exercises ' Miss S. J. Thorlby, M.C.S.P. |
Fees to
medical
practitioners
Fees paid under the Midwives Act to medical practitioners called in by midwives in emergency were as follows :
| 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Claims | 3,932 | 3,135 | 3,044 | 3,003 | 2,682 |
| Amount | £12,042 | £9,491 | £8,662 | £8,935 | £7,948 |
HEALTH VISITING AND NURSING SERVICES
the average strength of health visitors available during the year for health visiting duties apart from the tuberculosis and school health services was the equivalent of 375 full-time units. In addition to their clinic and other duties these health visitors made 816,483 home visits.
| Home visits | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expectant mothers— | ||||
| First | 25,226 | 24,608 | 24,739 | 22,999 |
| Revisit | 18,708 | 19,223 | 19,428 | 19,436 |
| Per cent, of notified live-and still-births | 47 | 47 | 47 | 45 |
| Premature babies— | ||||
| First | 1,834 | 1,894 | 1,624 | 1,315 |
| Revisit | 5,509 | 4,476 | 4,033 | 3,647 |
| Still-births— | ||||
| First | 930 | 921 | 887 | 744 |
| Revisit | 349 | 335 | 366 | 288 |
| Per cent, of still-births | 90 | 87 | 89 | 72 |
| Children under 1— | ||||
| First | 48,755 | 46,487 | 47,337 | 48,066 |
| Revisit | 183,816 | 168,833 | 178,262 | 173,413 |
| Per cent, of live-births | 91 | 90 | 94 | 96 |
| Children 1 to 5— | ||||
| First | 4,572 | 7,485 | 7,182 | 8,946 |
| Revisit | 377,986 | 368,668 | 369,948 | 353,818 |
| Infectious diseases | 13,396 | 13,774 | 5,320 | 14,841 |
| Miscellaneous | 51,278 | 51,676 | 58,864 | 58,821 |
| Unsuccessful | 131,748 | 124,124 | 118,155 | 110,149 |
| TOTAL | 864,107 | 832,504 | 836,045 | 816,483 |