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
Dagenham 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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65
Five of these patients were treated in hospital, three being
at Rush Green Isolation Hospital.
Work of the Health Visitors.
Routine visits are paid to infants as soon as possible after
the tenth day, and special visits are paid to cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum, puerperal fever, stillbirths, infant deaths, etc., and
subsequent to operative treatment of tonsils and adenoids. Each
Health Visitor was appointed Infant Protection Visitor tor her
own area. The Health Visitors also attend the various clinics.
In the case of Infant Welfare Centres and Ante-Natal Clinics,
the Health Visitor is, as far as possible, in charge of the session
at which the mothers from her district attend.
The following table shows the number of visits paid by Health Visitors during the year:—
| (a) To expectant mothers | First visits | 667 |
| Total visits | 1,623 | |
| (b) To children under 1 year of age | First visits | 2,461 |
| Total visits | 7,521 | |
| (c) To children between the ages of 1 and 5 years | Total visits | 9,719 |
Infant Welfare Centres.
There were 10 weekly Infant Welfare Centres held during
the year and one fortnightly session. All the Centres are
maintained by the Local Authority, there being at each, in addition
to the Medical Officer and the two Health Visitors, a clerk for
dealing with the distribution of food-stuffs. At some of the
Centres a number of voluntary workers have kindly assisted.
The following table shows the work done at the Infant Welfare
Centres during the year:—
| Total attendances at all Centres during the Year:— | |
|---|---|
| (1) By children under 1 year of age | 16,804 |
| (2) By children between the ages of 1 and 5 | 11,124 |
| Average attendances of children per session at all Centres during the year | 59 |