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
City of London 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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| No. of City Births notified (including still births) | 29 |
| Under one year | 269 |
| Over one year and under 5 years | 377 |
| Ante Natal | 156 |
| Ophthalmia | 0 |
| Still Births | |
| Home Helps | 0 |
| Infant Life Protection ... | 0 |
| Scabies | 2 |
599 lbs. of Dried Milk were supplied to children under one year ; also 115 lbs. Farex and 306
bottles Radiostoleum to mothers and children.
Liquid Milk, Cod Liver Oil and Fruit Juices were distributed through the Child Welfare Centre
to mothers and children on behalf of the Food Office.
One visit was made in connection with the one still birth notified.
The figure of 6 illegitimate live births referred to in the paragraph on Statistical Information
on page 1 relates to 5 babies found abandoned and to only 1 born to a mother known to be resident in
the City. This child remained in the care of its mother and receives regular visits from the Health
Visitor.
There were no premature births to City mothers during the year.
No evidence of infestation by head lice was observed in any City child.
| No. of Sessions (including sessions for Diphtheria Immunisation and Schick Testing) | 102 |
| Attendances:— | |
| Under one year | 547 |
| Over one year and under five years | 714 |
| Mothers | 57 |
| Dentures provided | 0 |
| Home Helps provided | 0 |
| No. of children, under five years, immunised against Diphtheria | 29 |
| No. of children, over five years and under 15, immunised against Diphtheria | 0 |
| No. of injections | 32 |
| No. of Post Schick Tests and Readings | 20 |
| Notifications received | Total cases notified. | Cases admitted to Hospital. |
|---|---|---|
| These consisted of the following:— | ||
| Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis | 1 | 0 |
| Dysentery | 8 | 8 |
| Scabies | 11 | 0 |
| Measles | 21 | 2 |
| Scarlet Fever | 3 | 3 |
| ' Tuberculosis | 13 | 6 |
| Erysipelas | 2 | 1 |
| Diphtheria | 2 | 2 |
| No. of Sessions held | 208 | |
| No. of Patients attending :— | ||
| Residents | 260 | 1159 |
| Non-Residents | 899 | |
| No. of New Patients | 283 | |
| No. of Resident Patients admitted to Sanatoria, Hospices, etc. | 6 | |
| No. of Artificial Pneumothorax Refills given | 291 | |
| No. of Visits made to Homes | 132 | |
| No. of Contacts kept under observation | 16 | |
Milk was supplied to two patients during the year.
The Minister of Health, during 1943, made available to local authorites funds for the payment
of allowances to persons who have to give up remunerative work in order to undergo treatment,
either at home or in sanatorium. So far as the County of London is concerned the London County
Council are the Assessing Authority for the payment of allowances, but the Minister has laid down a
scale of payments which is as follows:—
A tuberculous married man with a dependent wife or a tuberculous wife whose husband is
dependent on her income, receives jointly 39s. per week while the patient is undergoing treatment at
home, this sum being decreased by ten shillings should the patient be in sanatorium. A single person
is entitled to 25s. per week, while away from work but not in sanatorium, such payments ceasing if
the patient enters sanatorium. Additional sums are payable in respect of dependent children, or
infirm persons, and allowances are made towards rent. These payments are only payable where
treatment is hoped to be " curative," and are not payable to " incurables," and in the former case
must only be paid for six months after discharge from sanatorium except with the approval, of the
Minister. The object of these allowances is to enable patients to undergo curative treatment.
During the year allowances were paid to three patients, in accordance with the above-mentioned
scale.