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
Willesden 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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On the basis that 10s. 5d. is the minimum amount on which the average unit of a familv, taken as a child of ten years of age, can be maintained in physiological health, then the scale in operation for free benefits should be :—
| No. in family | Net income per head of the family per week. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |
| s. | d. | |
| 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 3 | 11 | 0 |
| 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 5 or over | 9 | 0 |
When the value of meals or dried milk is added to this scale, the total amount allowed per head of the family approximates the 10s. 5d. required as shewn in the following table :
| No. in family | Probable No. fed | Economic circumstances per head per week as per suggested scale | Total. | Relief from meals per week @ 4d. per meal per day | Total including relief from meals | Total economic circumstances per head per week. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||||||
| s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | s. | d. | ||
| 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 10 |
| 3 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 1 |
| 4 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 10 |
| 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 6 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 1 |
| 7 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| 8 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 9 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| 10 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 9 | 10 |
Effect of Part-Payment Scale.
The part-payment scale came into operation on the 13th February, 1920.
The following statement shows the relative costs for milk for about 12 weeks prior to the part-payment scale and for about 12 weeks subsequent to the operation of this scale :—
| 12 weeks ended 24/1/20. | 12 weeks ended 17/4/20. (Part-payment System) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | |
| Cost of Milk | 554 | 19 | 10 | 685 | 17 | 5 |
| Receipts | 397 | 18 | 2 | 501 | 0 | 10 |
| Cost to Council | 157 | 1 | 8 | 184 | 16 | 7 |
| Percentage of Receipts to Total Cost | 71.7% | 73.0% | ||||
Clerical Staff Employed.
Prior to the coming into operation of the part-payment scale, the dispenser received the money
and issued the dried milk. At the annual audit, the Auditor expressed dissatisfaction with this
system, as he was of opinion that one and the same person should not both receive monies and issue
stores. The opportunity was taken in connection with the change to the part-payment system to
meet the Auditor's views. The result is that a considerable proportion of the time of a third-class
clerk at each Clinic is taken up with
(1) Interviewing applicants for milk and dried milk.
(2) Enquiring into economic circumstances both from the applicant and employer.
(3) Informing applicants by letter of the result of their application.
(4) Receiving money from applicants, giving receipts for same and issuing coupons for the
milk or dried milk to be provided.
(5) Keeping a continuous record of same; and
(6) Keeping accounts of monies received.
The remainder of these clerks' time is occupied in assisting in other work generally.
Dried milk is issued to about 45 persons daily.