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

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Marylebone 1943

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

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Crematorium.—One hundred and eighty-one certificates authorising cremation at the St. Marylebone Crematorium,
Finchley, were issued—-132 by the Medical Referee (Dr. H. A. Bulman) and 49 by the Deputy Medical Referee (Dr.
M. MacGregor).
SECTION B.—GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES.
Staff.—Mr. L. Newland and Mr. V. A. Bignell, Sanitary Inspectors, joined the Royal Air Force on the 28th April,
1943, and 3rd June, 1943, respectively. Miss L. M. Hazell retired on the 25th May, 1943, on account of ill-health,
after serving the St. Marylebone Health Society as a part-time Health Visitor for six years, and subsequently the
Council for eight years in a similar capacity when the local authority took over the maternity and child welfare centres
from the Society. Her death on the 13th February, 1944, was greatly regretted. Miss P. K. Pepler, released for
service as a temporary inspector in the Ministry of Health as from the 7th July, 1941, relinquished that position on
the 31st July, 1943, and resumed duty under the Council on the 3rd August, 1943. Mr. C. D. Turbayne, a Principal
Assistant, joined the Royal Navy on the 4th October, 1943. Miss F. H. M. Chapman resigned her position as Health
Visitor on the 31st October, 1943. to take up an appointment as tutor with the National Health Society, an organisation
recognised by the Ministry of Health for the training of health visitors. Miss F. A. Baker, on retiring in 1938,
after 38 years' service with the Council as Sanitary Inspector and Health Visitor, acted as almoner at the dental
clinic which forms part of the Borough Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme. On leaving London in October, 1943,
Miss Baker reluctantly had to give up these duties which she had undertaken voluntarily and carried out efficiently
for five years. Mr. W. H. Draper, Sanitary Inspector, having reached the age limit, retired on the 30th November,
1943, after 38 years in the local government service. Mr. Draper, whose reputation as an authority on drainage matters
extends far beyond the Borough which he has served devotedly and with conspicuous success for the past 33 years,
. has been re-engaged by the Council in a temporary capacity.
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., Public Analyst for the Borough since November, 1941, died on the 23rd January,
1943. He was succeeded in the appointment by Mr. Thomas McLachlan, A.C.G.F.C., F.I.C., whose laboratory is
situated at No. 4, Han way Place, W.l.
Home Nursing.—The Paddington and St. Marylebone District Nursing Association continued to provide adequate
nursing services in the home under an arrangement made with the Council. During 1943, visits were paid to cases
(number shown within brackets) as follow: Maternity, 1,070 (61); pneumonia, 159 (6); tuberculosis, 42 (2);
puerperal pyrexia, 28 (4) ; measles, 9 (1) ; influenza, 73 (6) ; other ailments, 206 (21).
Maternity and Child Welfare.—An account of the year's work of this service may fittingly be prefaced by a reference
to the death of Dr. Eric Pritchard, in his seventy-eighth year, on the 20th April, 1943. A foremost paediatrician of
his day, Dr. Pritchard was a pioneer, if not, indeed, the pioneer, of the infant welfare centre in this country, the
clinics inaugurated by him in St. Marylebone, notably at the St. Marylebone General Dispensary, No. 30, Marylebone
Lane, in 1908, in collaboration with the Borough Council and the St. Marylebone Health Society, having been the
first of their kind in London.
The Council have two maternity and child welfare centres : No. 1 in the Town Hall Extension comprising anteand
post-natal, infant welfare, artificial sunlight, massage, and diphtheria immunisation clinics ; No. 2 at No. 217,
Lisson Grove with provision for ante- and post-natal, infant welfare, artificial sunlight, massage, and dental clinics.
In addition, ante- and post-natal and infant welfare clinics held at the Middlesex Hospital form part of the Council's
m iternity and child welfare scheme. 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).
MaternityInfantLightMassageMaternity ClinicsInfantClinicsLightClinicMassagsClinic
AntenatalPostnatalUnder 1 year1—5 yearsUnder 1 year1—5 yearsUnder 1 year1—5 years
Maternity and ChiId Welfare Centre No. 187150802681,365813,6671,6902029012611,038
(322)(43)(202)(24)(26)(51)(22)(46)
Maternity and Child Welfare Centre No. 25915680182953922,9971,5032271,241171459
(163)(50)(209)(32)(27)(81)(22)(36)
The Middlesex Hospital214151--4,0994322,075l,538---
(432)(180)(138)(13)
*282*55*939*524
*(61)*(13)*(69)*(8)
*St. Marylebone residents attending the Middlesex Hospital.

Home Visits.-The five whole-time and two part-time health visitors paid domiciliary visits as follow :
(a) to expsctant mothers, first visits, 360, total visits. 700 ; (b) to children under 1 year of age, first visits,
633, total visits, 3,242 ; (c) to children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, total visits, 4,135.