London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Shoreditch 1928

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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Model Welfare Centre and 31, Herbert Street daily, except Saturdays and Sundays,
on which days milk is substituted. The numbers attending daily have averaged
21.8 at the former Centre, and at the latter 32.4.
The dinners are extremely valuable for the purpose for which they arc intended,
but there is still considerable scope for their extension, many preferring to have
the pint of milk at home.
MODEL WELFARE CENTRE—OBSERVATION WARDS.
The Babies' Wards at the Model Welfare Centre have been in constant use,
the demand for cots always exceeding the number at our disposal. The nursing
staff comprises a Matron (Miss Borrow), a Sister, two staff nurses and four probationers.
The usual period for which a probationer holds her appointment is one year, at
the end of which she undergoes an examination, and, if proficient, a certificate is
given her by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee. Staff nurses Bcale and
McDowell were appointed in April and October respectively to fill vacancies caused
by resignations. Probationers Palin, Taylor, Blakely and Ball were appointed
during the year.

Statistical summary relating to children admitted :—

Number of cases in the wards on January 1st, 19289 babies.
Number of cases admitted39 babies, 3 mothers.
Average duration of stay12½ weeks.
Reasons for admission—
Wasting12
Malnutrition6
Vomiting ...2
Rickets1
Prematurity1
Weaning2
For establishment of breast feeding ...15

All those discharged were either normal or very much improved.
There was no case of infectious disease during the year. In one case a mother
and baby were transferred to a fever hospital for suspected scarlet fever, but the
diagnosis was not confirmed, and they were re-admitted later.
There was 1 death on May 31st after 9 weeks' residence from marasmus and
peritonitis.
One baby was diagnosed as suffering from tuberculous peritonitis and was
transferred to the Queen's Hospital for children, where it died a week later following
operation, the diagnosis being confirmed. This case was particularly interesting
as the child was only 6 months old and had been breast fed from birth. Unfortunately,
it has not been possible to persuade the mother to undergo examination.
The attendance at the Wednesday morning Toddlers' Clinic, which was
commenced as an experiment in February, 1927, has averaged 11 per session, and
shows no sign of increasing, so that it is proposed to discontinue it in the near future.
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