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

View report page

Dagenham 1955

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]

This page requires JavaScript

DOMESTIC HELP SERVICE
During the past year the Domestic Help continued to increase,
the figures below show details of all homes assisted by the Service.
The Care of the Aged:
This gives the Service most of the work, and also presents
most of the problems—but every effort is made to alleviate the
difficulties of the daily round.
Maternity:
Full-time Domestic Helps continue to look after the mother
and family during the confinement, ante-natal and post-natal
periods. Cases are also helped when the mother is away in hospital,
the care of the children being left entirely to the Domestic Helps.
Mental Sickness:
During the year there have been cases of this type which have
greatly benefited with a Domestic Help in the background to give
the extra confidence required in such cases.
Tuberculosis:
Domestic Helps have proved invaluable in these cases needing
the required bed rest, regular food and general care.
Recruitment:
Great care is given to select a good type of Help who will
prove to be a helpful member of the community.

Domestic Help Statistics — Year 1955

Number of Full-time Helps2
Number of Part-time Helps62
Organiser's visits1383
Cases Helped During Year:
Maternity74
Acute Sick69
Tuberculosis20
Chronic Aged285
Chronic Others87
Aged Not Sick8
Others (children not over comp. school age)5
Total548