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Oral Poliomyelitis Vaccine
In accordance with Ministry requirements, poliomyelitis vaccine was supplied to the Medical
Department of Unilever Ltd., St. Bartholomew's Hospital, The Church Missionary Society and to
medical practitioners within the City who requested it.
16 children received doses at the Child Welfare Clinic, 20 girls at the City of London Girls
School completed the course, and in all some 2,700 doses were distributed.
Tetanus Vaccine
Through arrangements made with Professor Shooter at St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the
Superintendent of Smithfield Market Tetanus Vaccine was offered to meat porters at Smithfield
all of whom were though to be at special risk. The result was disappointing:
No. of porters offered vaccine 530
No. of porters accepting offer 57
No. of persons completing full course 45
Venereal Disease Contact Tracing
Arrangements have been made with the consultant venereologist at St. Bartholomew's Hospital
Treatment Centre for the Health and Welfare Officer to act as intermediary in respect of
contact tracing in other local authority areas and to help with any contact tracing in the City. A
male public health inspector is also available if necessary.
Health Education
The fact that the daytime population of the City is so huge makes for a unique opportunity to
offer health education to a vast variety of people.
Regular supplies of Health Education material are sent to nearly two dozen interested bodies
in the City and it is hoped to expand this steadily in addition to giving talks and showing films.
Regular lectures are already given by the Health Visitor and the Health and Welfare Officer
to students of the City Day College and nurses at London Hospital and it is intended to extend
the service to other centres of education within the City.
Family Planning
Rent free premises are given to the Family Planning Association at Milton Court where one
lunch time and one evening session were held each week for City workers and residents. Where
appropriate the Corporation underwrites the cost of supplies and treatment for City residents referred
on medical grounds.
SECTION 28 NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT 1946 AND MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1959
The Medical Officer of Health for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets provides mental
health services in the City on an Agency basis.
In all, 25 persons were admitted to hospital under the provisions of the Act.
Whenever necessary, mental welfare officers attend Courts at the Mansion House and at
Guildhall, and assist with cases for whom a court order for hospital admission is being sought,
and also with cases who are at court, for other purposes when the need for possible hospital
admission under the'Act arises. Six patients have been seen at these courts.
The assistance of a mental welfare officer was sought by the City Police on three occasions,
to deal with mentally disordered persons who were found in public places, and a similar case
was dealt with at the request of the British Railway police.
Eight domiciliary visits were made at the request of the Medical Officer of Health, general
practitioners and the police, with a view to possible compulsory action, or to assess a patient's
mental state.
Eleven patients in St. Bartholomew's Hospital who are residents of other areas have been
attended, and arrangements made for transfer to hospitals more appropriite to their home address.
Visits have been made by the Mental Welfare Officers to the Salvation Army Hostel in Middlesex
Street, with a view to providing community care. It often happens that patients referred by
hospitals and other agencies cannot be contacted, because they fail to arrive at the Hostel. At
the end of the year five men were actually receiving community care, but they moved away before
any constructive support could be achieved and all trace was lost.
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