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

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Dagenham 1956

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]

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Year of Birth

Children born in:19471948194919501951195219531954Total
March46502435155
August114528212621152
November7864544420283832358
Totals7864658994998888665

The response and attendances were encouraging and the
scheme will expand during the coming years as more vaccine
becomes available.
To encourage parents to agree to vaccination against Poliomyelitis,
an intensive health education programme was organised
with poster displays and public meetings held in the libraries and
public halls, at which members of the Medical Staff gave talks on
Poliomyelitis and the present stage of knowledge of the vaccine.
Talks and a Brains Trust were arranged with Parent Teacher
Associations in the town. The large attendance at the meetings
was in all cases most encouraging and welcome.
DAY NURSERIES
Throughout the year the Day Nurseries maintained their high
standard of care for those children who for one reason or another
cannot be looked after at home.
There are many reasons why a child must enter a nursery and
the nursery has much to offer these children.
Widowhood, divorce, illegitimacy—all play their part in making
necessary admission of an infant or toddler to the day nursery.
Other factors such as overcrowding in the home with its almost
inevitable tension and frustration must also be weighed in the
balance when considering admission to a day nursery.
The nurseries must play their part in promoting and maintaining
the physical, emotional and mental well-being of the
children and in providing child companionship and playing-space
when it is not available to the child in its own home.
They can also assist during emergencies in the family such as
the illness of the parent and can be of inestimable value in helping
to demonstrate to the parent the correct handling of the young
child, particularly the handicapped and those with early behaviour
disorders.
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