London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
This page requires JavaScript
23
EXPECTANT AND NURSING MOTHERS AND CHILDREN UNDER 5.
Section 22 of the National Health Service Bill lays upon Local Authorities a duty " to make arrangements
for the care, including in particular dental care, of expectant and nursing mothers and of children who have not
attained the age of 5 years."
Details of personal equipment and clinic accommodation to meet the Borough's obligations are awaiting
further deliberations and are omitted from this report.
The records of the year give the following details concerning the Maternity and Child Welfare section of the
Clinic work.
Further details of the vear's work are given in the table below.
| E.M. | N.M. | 0-5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number inspected | 1,052 | 152 | 102 | 1,606 |
| Number brought forward from previous year | 146 | 20 | 24 | 190 |
| Total number under observation during year | 1,198 | 172 | 426 | 1,796 |
| Number completed | 467 | 104 | 250 | 821 |
| Number partially completed | 122 | 24 | 37 | 183 |
| Number not availing themselves of treatment | 380 | 29 | 86 | 495 |
| Number treated by other agencies | 45 | 1 | 8 | 54 |
| Number carried forward | 94 | 11 | 4 | 109 |
| Number with no defect | 90 | 3 | 41 | 134 |
| Number of attendances | 3,187 | 648 | 940 | 4,775 |
| Number of teeth removed | 1,321 | 253 | 543 | 2,117 |
| Number of teeth filled | 1,258 | 195 | 381 | 1,834 |
| Number of other operations on the gums and teeth. | 989 | 272 | 153 | 1,414 |
| Number of general anaesthetics | 320 | 77 | 198 | 595 |
| Number of local anaesthetics | 71 | 20 | 6 | 97 |
| Number of treatment sessions | – | – | — | 457 |
| At cost to Council | At cost to Applicant | At part cost to Applicant | Total | |
| Number of patients who received dentures during the year | 19 | 27 | 38 | 84 |
REPORT ON WAR-TIME NURSERIES, 1945-1946
Nurseries Open at Beginning of 1945.
Cur/on Crescent 70 children Chichester Road 50 children
Braintcroft 60 „ College Road 50 „
Wesley Road 40 „ Essex Road 50 „
Olive Road 40 „ Crest Road 50 „
Longstone Avenue 50 „ Villiers Road 50 „
" Evefield," Brentfield Road 50 „
In March, 1945, it was decided to open the already built Mortimer Road Nursery, to accommodate children
from the Kensal Rise area who were waiting for vacancies at College Road Nursery. The spare vacancies were filled
by children from the Kilburn area, who were conveyed by school " bus " to and from the nursery. The demand
for nursery accommodation in the Kensal Rise area has risen during the year. In consequence, all vacancies at
Mortimer Road Nursery are now filled by children from the immediate neighbourhood. The omnibus service has
been discontinued.
In April, 1945, the Olive Road Nursery was closed for redecoration. The children attending were transferred
to a new building on the edge of Gladstone Park.
In February, 1946, the Olive Road Nursery was reopened. On March 4th, 1946, the Curzon Crescent
Nursery was returned to the Education Department, to be continued as a Nursery School for children aged 2-5 years.
Total Attendances.—April, 1945, to April, 1946, 133,008.
Teaching Staff.—In October, 1945, Miss J. Tyrell, Warden of Braintcroft Nursery, was appointed Supervisory
Warden. This appointment has improved the care of the 2-5 year-olds. The Wardens now have regular meetings for
discussion and toy mending. The travelling percussion band has proved very popular. Several puppet shows have
been given during the year.
Medical Inspection.—The Medical Officers of the various Health Centres have examined the children at regular
intervals. Children have attended at Health Centres for Dental and other treatment. Diphtheria immunisation
has now been carried out at each nursery.
Toys.—Very few toys have been given to the Nurseries during the year. The allowance of 2s. (id. per child
per year is quite inadequate. Suitable toys are almost non-existent in the Nurseries.