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
Leyton 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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The disposal of these cases was as follows:—
| Discharged after one attendance | 125 |
| Re-attended for examination and treatment | 42 |
| Referred with letters to medical practitioners | 51 |
| Referred to hospital | 3 |
| Not post-natal cases | 2 |
| 223 |
Free medical prescriptions were issued in 48 cases (Leyton
Green, 28 ; Park House, 20) at a total cost to the Council of
£5 14s. 3id. ; and 49 prescriptions were issued for payment by the
patient.
The average attendance per session was 10.3—with a maximum
of 18 and a minimum of 7. The number of patients who can be
dealt with satisfactorily during one session depends on the type of
treatment found necessary, e.g., birth control cases take much
longer than ordinary examinations. On the average, I think that
10-12 patients per session is a reasonable number.
The following are the main conditions which have been found on examination. A number of patients had more than one defect. In considering this list it should be kept in mind that those women who felt ill would be more likely to respond to the letters of invitation than those who felt well, and also that the ante-natal and infant welfare medical officers definitely selected some cases which they thought ought to have treatment or birth control advice, and persuaded them to attend.
| Total | Leyton Green. | Park House. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subinvolution of uterus or vagina | 33 | 23 | 10 |
| Retroversion of the uterus | 34 | 15 | 19 |
| Prolapse | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| Vaginitis | 10 | 3 | 7 |
| Cervical erosion | 11 | 4 | 7 |
| Menorrhagia | 1 | 1 | — |
| Pregnancy | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Sterility | 2 | 2 | — |
| Ovarian cyst | 1 | 1 | — |
| Pyelitis | 1 | — | 1 |
| Chronic nephritis | 1 | 1 | — |
| Anal fissure | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Marked anaemia | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Birth control | 31 | 17 | 14 |