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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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Officers. In addition to the routine visits, special visits
are paid to eases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum, Puerperal
Pyrexia, Stillbirths, Infant Deaths, etc., and
subsequent to operative treatment of tonsils and
adenoids. The Health Visitors also attend the various
clinics. In the case of infant welfare centres and antenatal
clinics, the Health Visitor is, as far as possible,
in charge of the session at which the mothers from her
district attend, thus preserving the personal association
of the Health Visitor with the mother and children who
live in her area.
The following table shows the number of Visits paid by Health Visitors during the year :—
| (a) To expectant mothers First visits | 34.9 |
| Total visits | 386 |
| (b) To children under one year of age First visits | 2,003 |
| Total visits | 5,131 |
| (c) To children between the ages of one and five years Total visits | 12,107 |
| Grand Total | 17,624 |
Infant Welfare Centres.
There are two weekly infant welfare centres at the
Becontree Clinic, three at Ford Road, two at Five Elms,
two at Pettit Farm, two at Chadwell Heath and two at
Rush Green.
During 1939 the Council decided to augment the
numbers of clinic sessions both ante-natal and infant
welfare ; for this purpose it was decided to increase the
whole-time medical staff by one, and also appoint an
additional Health Visitor and clinic assistant.
Wach of these centres is attended by two Health
Visitors and one clinic clerk, with the exception of Rush
Green, at which there is only one Health Visitor in
attendance owing to the limited accommodation.