London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Marylebone 1942

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]

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5
SECTION B.—GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES.
Staff.—The death of Mr. T. W. Forbes on the 17th June, 1942, is recorded with great regret. He had completed
30 years in the local government service, 17 years of which were spent as Sanitary Inspector in the Great Portland
Street area of the Borough. Mr. Lawrence Newland, who had been a temporary Sanitary Inspector since 5th May,
1941, succeeded him on the permanent staff. The Department also mourned the loss of a promising Junior Clerk,
Air. C. N. F. Downs, who was fatally injured in America on the 24th September, 1942, whilst training as a Pilot in
the Royal Air Force. Dr. W. H. S. Wallace joined the Royal Army Medical Corps on the 17th October, 1942, and
Dr. Hilda G. Johnson and Dr. Anna B. Broman were engaged in a temporary part-time capacity to carry out his
duties as Maternity and Child Welfare Medical Officer. A half-time temporary woman clerk (Mrs. R. M. Woodman)
commenced work in the Department on the 4th September, 1942. A student Health Visitor from the National Health
Society spent twelve weeks at the Council's Centres, etc., to gain practical experience of a health visitor's duties.
Mr. J. Calderbank, Sanitary Inspector, resigned on 31st December, 1942, to take up a similar position at Hornsey.
Laboratory Facilities.—Dr. L. E. H. Whitby, C.V.O., M.C., is the Council's Bacteriologist, but during his absence
on military duties, Dr. C. J. C. Britton, Assistant Pathologist, Middlesex Hospital, has acted in that capacity. The
work is carried out in the Bland Sutton Institute of Pathology at the Middlesex Hospital.
Mr. G. A. Stokes, F.I.C., F.C.S., is the Public Analyst for the Borough and his laboratory is situated at No. 159,
Edgware Road, W.2.
Home Nursing.—The Paddington and St. Marylebone District Nursing Association continue to provide adequate
nursing services in the home under an arrangement made with the Council. During 1942, visits were paid to cases
(number shown within brackets) as follow : Maternity, 927 (53) ; pneumonia, 126 (9); tuberculosis, 63 (5).
Health Centres.—The Council has two health centres : No. 1 in the Town Hall Extension, comprising a tuberculosis
dispensary (with X-ray plant), maternity and child welfare and various auxiliary clinics, and a diphtheria immunisation
clinic ; No. 2 at No. 217, Lisson Grove, with provision for maternity and child welfare clinics and auxiliary services
of various kinds, including dental treatment. In addition, consultations held at the Middlesex Hospital form part
of the Council's maternity and child welfare scheme.
Maternity and Child Welfare.—A normal service was provided throughout the year and full advantage was taken
of the facilities available at all centres, at each of which a health visitor acts as superintendent.

TABLE 3. — Work of the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics.

CentreClinic Sessions heldAttendances (figures in brackets indicate new cases).Home Visits
MaternityInfantLightMassageMaternity ClinicsInfant ClinicsLight ClinicMassage Clinic
AntenatalPostnatalUnder 1 year1—5 yearsUnder 1 year1—5 yearsUnder 1 year1—5 years
Health Centre No. 15315277113820162,8711,64537954186641,648
(240)(14)(211)(34)(8)(72)(12)(68)
Health Centre No. 25214177597292,8331,1782091,139__1,917
(131)(19)(188)(35)(20)(56)
The Middlesex Hospital211154--4,5193922,1591,271----2,315
(438)(370)(146)(14)
*343*22*797*414
*(32)*(16)*(52)*(8)
*St. Marylebone residents attending the Middlesex Hospital.

Home Visits.—The number of visits paid during the year by the five whole-time and two part-time health visitors
was as follows : (a) to expectant mothers, first visits, 400, total visits, 859 ; (b) to children under 1 year of age, first
visits, 514, total visits, 3,486 ; (c) to children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, total visits, 4,613.
Milk and Food, etc.—The Food Executive Officer has kindly provided the following information as to milk supplied
under the National Scheme during the period 29th December, 1941, to 2nd January, 1943 : liquid milk—79,1031
gallons (free, 17,645 1/8 gallons; at 2d. per pint, 61,458f gallons); full cream dried milk—1,767-20 oz. cartons, one
carton being equivalent to 7 pints of liquid milk (free, 653 cartons ; at l/2d. per carton, 1,114) ; half cream dried
milk—71 cartons (free, 38 cartons ; at l/2d. per carton, 33). Distribution of vitamin preparations was made as follow :
cod liver oil, 2,065-6 oz. bottles (to young children and, from 1st December, 1942, to expectant mothers) ; black
currant syrup—to children under 6 months—321 -13½, oz. bottles (until 8th February, 1942) ; black currant puree—
to children 6 months to 2 years—1,276-8½ oz. cans (until 29th March, 1942). Black currant syrup and puree were
replaced by orange juice of which 5,392-6 oz. bottles were issued during the remainder of the period. From 1st
December, 1942, orange juice was made available to children up to 5 years of age and to expectant mothers.
Special baby clothing coupons (increased from 50 to 60 on 1st June, 1942) were issued to 773 expectant mothers.
Day Nurseries.—A war-time nursery (whole-time) for 60 children (0-5 years) was opened bv the Council in the Portman
Day Nursery building, Salisbury Street, on 26th January, 1942. The average daily attendance of children was 44.
The nursery is affiliated to the National Society of Children's Nurseries as a training centre. A small outbreak of
enteritis among the younger children, all of whom made a satisfactory recovery, necessitated the closure of the
building for 12 days in March. The generous assistance of the St. Marylebone Health Society and other voluntary
associations contributed largely to the smooth-running of the nursery, particularly in the early days of its functioning.
The Council's gratitude is due also to Mrs. Sigismund Goetze for placing at the disposal of the children her garden at
Grove House, Park Road, and to various organisations for gifts of clothing and toys.