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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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Phenylketonuria
Routine testing of the urine of young children for this condition continued
during the year. No cases of the disease were discovered.
Day Nurseries
| Day Nursery | Number of approved places | Average daily attendance | Average No. on register per month | Total attendances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goresbrook | 50 | 33.7 | 44.7 | 8,636 |
| Chadwell Heath | 54 | 40.8 | 52 | 10,448 |
| Total | 104 | 74.5 | 96.7 | 19,084 |
The reasons for admission are set out in the following table:-
| Day Nursery | Widows | Parents separated | Desertion | Illness of mother | Illness of father | Unmarried mothers | Socioeconomic | Mothers working to supplement income | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goresbrook | 6 | 18 | - | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 75 |
| Chadwell Heath | - | 7 | - | 6 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 6 | 25 | - | 16 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 52 | 115 |
Dr. Weizmann reports as follows:-
"The two Day Nurseries have continued to work practically to capacity during
the year. In fact, throughout the greater part of the year there hare been
waiting lists of varying length, particularly for the babies.
In Chadwell Heath Nursery just under half the parents have received
assistance with their fees, and in Goresbrook those receiving assistance are
just over half the total admissions - and this has come to be the usual pattern
in both nurseries.
The children whose parents paid full fees came in the great majority of
cases from families with poor housing conditions, where the mother has gone out
to work in order to save money for a house purchase.
There were, in addition, many admitted for medical reasons and behaviour
problems, and these have shown remarkable improvement after admission to the
nursery. Here I would like very much to put in a plea for a scheme whereby some
recommended cases could have reduced fees for a short stay. The therapeutic
value of even a few weeks in a nursery for children with certain behaviour
problems is quite indisputable. Many parents to whom we would like to offer
this valuable treatment simply have not the means available under present conditions.
I think it would be quite easy to absorb these children (usually in
the 3-5 age group) for a short time without straining the capacity of the
nursery, and it would be to the very great benefit of both children and parents.
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