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
Marylebone 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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57
Home Helps.—Arrangements for providing assistance in carrying out the
work of the home to expectant, nursing or ailing mothers continued in operation
throughout the year. The women employed were found by and were well known
to the health visitors, who also noted the cases in which assistance was required.
The number of cases in which home helps were employed in 1929 was one, and the
total amount expended during the financial year to 31st March, 1930, was
£2 5s. Od.
SANITARY ADMINISTRATION.
Under this, which is made a separate heading by the Ministry of Health, the
Medical Officer of Health is required to make reference to a number of matters,
e.g., staff, hospital accommodation and some others, most of which will be found
dealt with elsewhere.
(1) Staff: Work of sanitary inspectors and other officers engaged in
sanitary work. This matter, so far as the inspectors are concerned, is fully
discussed in an early part of the report. The report of the Mortuary Keeper
(Mrs. Spears) is as follows:—
R eport of M ortuary K eeper.
Number of bodies deposited from 1st January to 31st December, 1929,
| 1929. | Males. | Females. | Total. | For burial only. | For inquests. | Total. | No. of P.M 's held. | No. of courts held. | No. of Infectious cases. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15 | 8 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 23 | 9 | 2 | - |
| February | 18 | 18 | 36 | 29 | 7 | 36 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| March | 17 | 19 | 36 | 27 | 9 | 36 | 11 | 6 | - |
| April | 14 | 15 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 29 | 9 | 6 | - |
| May | 12 | 12 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 24 | 5 | 2 | - |
| June | 7 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 3 | - |
| July | 13 | 6 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 4 | - |
| August | 9 | 7 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 5 | 4 | - |
| September | 7 | 11 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 8 | 9 | - |
| October . | 8 | 13 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| November | 9 | 10 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 7 | 1 | - |
| December | 11 | 15 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 140 | 145 | 285 | 213 | 72 | 285 | 88 | 49 | 3 |
The fact that there are caretakers (a man and his wife) at the Tuberculosis
Dispensary has already been noted. In addition to looking after the premises
they also render great assistance in connection with the conduct of the clinics, taking
notes, helping in the weighing of the patients, etc.
(2) Hospital accommodation.—This being a matter with which the
Borough Councils in London have no direct concern, it is not considered
necessary to make special reference to it.
Nursing homes in the Borough number 55, but with these registration
under the Nursing Homes (Registration) Act, 1927, being in the hands of the
London County Council, the Borough Council, whose officers could very easily
and efficiently carry out the duties involved, have no concern whatever.
(3) Local Acts, special local orders and their administration.—There are
no Acts or Orders applicable in the Borough which do not apply to other parts
of London. The London County Council (General Powers) Acts contain a
number of provisions under which a considerable amount of work is done,
e.g., those relating to places where food is dealt with. Reference is made to
these elsewhere.