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
Southgate 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southgate]
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39
The number of Sessions during the year was 172. All
the Centres closed for a week at Easter. Whitsuntide, in
August, and at Christmas.
The registers are revised every quarter, w hen the names
of children who attain school age or who leave the district
or cease to attend the Centres are removed. The number
on the register at the beginning of the year was 276, at
the end 443. The total number of attendances during the
year was 6,813, the highest on any day was 65, the lowest
11, and the average 38. The highest number seen by the
doctor on any one day was 40, and the average number 22.
Comparative table tor the last three years:—
| Year. | No. of Centres. | No of Sessions. | No. of New Cases Regd. | Total Attendances of Children | Total Attendances of pre-natal Mothers. | Average Weekly Attandance Children. | Average Attendance at Centre. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 2 | 63 | 214 | 1213 | 52 | 39 | 19 |
| 1919 | 4 | 105 | 253 | 2193 | 118 | 92 | 23 |
| 1920 | 4 | 172 | 434 | 6813 | 233 | 154 | 38 |
Of the children brought to the doctor for consultation the following classification has been made:-
| No. 1920 | Percent. 1920 | Percent. 1919 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General advice as to feeding and management | 2,349 | 73.6 | 68 |
| Disorders of digestion | 274 | 8.5 | 9 |
| Rickets | 76 | 2.4 | 5 |
| Referred to hospital | 71 | 4 | 1.7 |
| Referred to private doctor | 43 | 1.4 | 1 |
| Other cases | 397 | 12.4 | 13 |
| Advice to mothers | 294 | — | — |
In connection with the continually increasing number
of attendances, although this is no doubt largely due to the
spreading of the knowledge of the good work done at the
Centres, it should be borne in mind that, to quote from
the memorandum in regard to Maternity and Infant Welfare.