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

View report page

Edmonton 1920

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton]

This page requires JavaScript

26
so that their wages will be pooled with the family income, subject to travelling
and insurance expenses being deducted. This amendment I advised was very
necessary, as it was found that working children as lodgers contribute most
inadequate sums to the mothers for their board and lodgings.
In November I drew attention to two cases who were obtaining a free milk
supply, although the fathers were fully employed by (1) the Edmonton
Guardians and (2) by the Crippled Girls' Institution at "Halliwick," and our
Clerk was instructed to draw the attention of the managers of these institutions
to the apparently inadequate rate of pay to their employees. In December it was
pointed out to these institutions that the Council's minimum wage for their
employees was £4 per week, which rate of wages practically excluded all their
employees from obtaining milk at the expense of the ratepayers.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.

The working of the Centres:—

Address.Session.Average attendance per session.
Central Halltwice weekly56 children
St. Michael's Hallonce68
Central Hall„ „8 mothers (ante-natal)

Note.—The attendance is very poor, considering that 1,921 births occurred
in 1920, of whom at least 80 per cent. should attend the Centres.
The educative value of the Centres as conducted in 1919 and 1920
has been small. As my junior colleague Dr. (Mrs.) Outram reported, the
Centres now keep such a varied stock that the rooms have the appearance of a
co-operative store. Instead of listening to health talks, the mothers are busy
buying goods at cost price, or less. A recent list of articles requiring renewal
from wholesale sources besides drugs, bandages, elastic belts, dried milk,
cod-liver oil and malt, malted milk and virol, included sesame oil, Chapman's
food, lactagol, slippery elm, syrup of bananas, wool, linen, mado-polam, jean,
flannel, etc.
REPORTS TO COUNCIL OF THE COMMITTEE
The first report of 1920 of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
was dated the 23rd January and presented to the Council on the 27th. It was
agreed that the accounts of the Committee be kept in the department of the
Council's Accountant on and after 21st May, 1920. Southgate Council