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 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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It will be observed that it is proposed to pay the Throat, Nose and Ear Specialist by salary
and not per session. The salary suggested would include
1. Attendance at each of the Health Centres once a month to pass cases for operation.
2. Attendance twice a week at the Willesden Municipal Hospital for purposes
of operation.
3. Attendances at such other times at the Municipal Hospital as he may be called in
for consultation or operation by the Medical Superintendent.
4. The officer appointed should be required to provide his own locum if he is unable
to attend at any time for any reason.
Marasmus.
The total number of cases of marasmus and the cost of dealing with them at these Hospitals have been as follows:—
| Year. | Willesden General Hospital. | St. Monica's Home Hospital. | Children's Hospital, Cold Ash. | Total. | Cost. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 24 | £214 |
| 1933 | 6 | 18 | — | 24 | £292 |
| 1932 | 12 | 20 | — | 32 | £369 |
| Average | 9 | 17 | 1 | 27 | £292 |
From these figures it would be possible to deal with the cases of marasmus also at the Municipal
Hospital provided the above mentioned pavilion of 10 cubicles were erected.
Assuming that the Council decided to deal with cases of marasmus as well as tonsils and adenoids
at the Willesden Municipal Hospital, the comparative costs of the present arrangements and the
suggested arrangements are shown below
Existing Arrangements.
| Annual Averages for 3 years. | |
|---|---|
| Payments to Willesden General Hospital:— Enlarged Tonsils | £715 |
| Marasmus | |
| Payments to St. Monica's Home Hospital | £225 |
| Payments to Children's Hospital, Cold Ash | £71 |
| Payments to Mr. Mant in respect of attendances at Health Centres and consultations and operations now done at the Willesden Municipal Hospital | £301 |
| £1,312 | |
| Annual Loan Charges | £338 |
| Annual Maintenance Costs | £1,401 |
General.
I have outlined the foregoing proposals to meet the conditions arising out of the notice given
by the Willesden General Hospital to the Willesden Council relating to cases of tonsils and adenoids
and have included cases of marasmus.
I would, however, further respectfully observe that the health work of the Council is hampered
by their not having a hospital at disposal for general purposes. As the law now stands the Council
requires beds from time to time for their special purposes while the administration of general hospitals
is under the County Council. The result is that the general hospitals in Willesden are only concerned
with the cure of disease and their utilisation from the preventive aspect of medicine is lost sight of.
I am putting this question before the Committee because it really constitutes a public health
problem of very great importance. Almost every new development in connection with personal
health requires beds and it therefore behoves the Committee to take the question of the relation of
hospital beds to the preventive aspects of their medical work into serious consideration. I have in