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

View report page

Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Barking 1919

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]

This page requires JavaScript

Table: (2) The requirements for the various purposes are as follows :—

(2) The requirements for the various purposes are as follows :—

Per 1,000 Population.Per 1,250 Beds.
For Infectious Diseases1.6beds200
,, Tuberculosis1.0„125
,, Maternity.5„63
,, Ailing Children and Mothers(Diarrhoea, Bronchitis, Pneumonia).4„50
,, School Children.3„37
,, Children 2-5 years.2„25
,, General acute medical cases, over 14 years4.0„500'
,, Chronic cases2.0„250
Totals10.0„1,250

Text

Copy text to clipboard

This gives one bed per 100 population. Assuming, however,
that the housing conditions of the district to be served will be
better than that on which this estimate is based, it may be safely
halved. This would necessitate 325 beds for infectious cases and
925 for other conditions. These institutions should be kept as
close together as possible, without undue contact.
The recommendations are :—
(1) That the present site be retained, but squared off,
including the land up to Yanderplank Road.
(2) That the low-lying area be fenced off as an open public
area, having a road with grass spaces each side.
(3) That the southern part between the open space and the
railway be used for infectious cases, and medical, surgical,
maternity, and children on the present extended as
suggested above.