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
Woolwich 1917
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
This page requires JavaScript
39. The following is a Summary of the work of the Health Visitors
| Miss Fitzgerald | Miss Farmer | Miss Latham 8 months | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ???successful visits (Mothers out) | 319 | 223 | 542 | |
| ???sits re Notification of Births | 536 | 460 | 351 | 1,347 |
| ???miciliary visits to Infants ???attending Consultation | 272 | 166 | 142 | 580 |
| ???-visits (.Births) | 166 | 226 | 467 | 859 |
| ???te-Natal visits | 16 | 6 | ||
| ???asles | 607 | 394 | 120 | 1.131 |
| ,, Re-visits | 15 | 34 | 14 | 63 |
| ???ifant Deaths investigated | 20 | 9 | 8 | 37 |
| ???ildren over one year | 30 | - | - | 30 |
| ???aotic Enteritis | 22 | 36) | 41) | 120 |
| ,, ,, Re-visits | 6) | 15) | ||
| ???ihthalmia Neonatorum | 13 | 20 | 10 | 43 |
| ,, ,, Re-visits | 5 | 12 | 11 | 28 |
| ???erperal Fever | 7 | 5 | 2) | 16 |
| ,, ,, Re-visits , | 2) | |||
| ???iberculosis | 38 | 19 | 22 | 79 |
| ???mplaints investigated | 7 | 7 | ||
| ???rty Conditions | 11 | 11 | ||
| ???isits not otherwise classified | 114 | 48 | 35 | 197 |
| ???salth Lectures given | 9 | 3 | 1 | 13 |
| ???Cmmittees attended | 25 | - | 25 | |
| ???(Local Advisory and Day Nursery) | W'ch49) | |||
| ???temoons at Infant Consultations | 50 | Eltham 9) | 31 | 139 |
| ???rnings at Ante-Natal Clinic | 18 | 19 | 13 | 50 |
N.B. Owing to queues and other difficulties in procuring food
taking Mothers from home there was a great increase in
unsuccessful visits.
Misses Farmer and Latham make the following observations
on their work:-
The effect of war conditions during the latter half
of the year, (when it was necessary for mothers to spend many
hours a day doing the ordinary household shopping) was seen in
many homes, by a considerable neglect of ordinary household
duties. During the last months of 1917 there was great
difficulty in obtaining milk for children. This was before
the Milk Priority Order came into being. Milk sellers were
asked to voluntarily agree to give priority in supplying milk
to nursing mothers and young children. This arrangement was
39