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
Haringey 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Haringey]
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After assessment of a situation the health visitor may require the help of other specialist agencies.
The actual number of visits made by health visitors are:-
NUMBER OF VISITS PAID BY HEALTH VISITORS WORKING IN THE BOROUGH
| Expectant Mothers — First Visits | 1,217 |
| - Total Visits | 1,826 |
| Chi Idren under 1 year of age - First Visits | 5,296 |
| - Total Visits | 11,203 |
| Children aged 1 - 2 years | 9,878 |
| Chi Idren aged 2 — 5 years | 17,001 |
| Other Cases | 2,325 |
| Total Visits as Health Visitors | 42,233 |
Student Health Visitors
The one student health visitor who completed her training in September was successful in obtaining
the health visitors certificate. She has proved to be a welcome and useful addition to the staff.
We were fortunate in recruiting 4 sponsored student health visitors to commence the one year
training in September 1969.
| Categories of Observations | |
| Deafness of genetic origin in parents or siblings | 49 |
| History of maternal rubella in first four months of pregnancy | 12 |
| Gestation 36 weeks or less | 268 |
| Birth Weight under 4lbs. | 20 |
| Moderate or severe birth asphyxia | 312 |
| Difficulty in sucking or swallowing | 11 |
| Failure to thrive not explained by simple feeding problems | 63 |
| Convulsions | 7 |
| Cyanotic attacks or severe apnoeic spells | 20 |
| Abnormal neurological signs in neonatal period | 34 |
| Haemolytic disease of the newborn or hyperbilirubinaemia | 157 |
| Any congenital abnormalities | 177 |
| Late or late intake | 136 |
| Mother in care of Mental Health | 29 |
| Total | 1,295 |
| Number of children bom during the year | 4,847 |
| Number placed on observation register i.e. 23% approx. | 1,124 |
Where there is a particular risk of deafness children are examined at the audiology unit as well
as at the normal child health sessions. 124 children were seen at the unit during the year.
| Categories of Handicap | Physically handicapped | 60 | |
| Partially sighted | 2 | ||
| Deaf | 4 | Delicate | 2 |
| Partially hearing | 8 | Speech defect | 5 |
| Educationally subnormal | 1 | Mental handicap | 90 |
| Epileptic | 9 | Miscellaneous | 35 |
| Maladjusted | 5 | Total | 221 |