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
Woolwich 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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107
The results of the enquiry are set out in the following Table, No 76:—
TABLE No. 76.
Feeding of Infants attending Welfare Centres. 16th June—25th July, 1930.
| Method of Feeding. | AGE IN MONTHS. | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 5-6 | 6-7 | 7-8 | 8-9 | Total | 9-10 | 10-11 | 11-12 | Grand Total. | |
| Breast | 49 | 103 | 79 | 50 | 48 | 45 | 33 | 21 | 14 | 442 | 8 | 2 | — | 452 |
| Breast and Hand | 1 | 9 | 15 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 83 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 112 |
| Hand | 13 | 23 | 28 | 38 | 32 | 34 | 38 | 33 | 48 | 287 | 34 | 47 | 63 | 431 |
| 63 | 135 | 122 | 104 | 89 | 86 | 79 | 59 | 75 | 812 | 57 | 60 | 66 | 995 | |
| Percentages: | ||||||||||||||
| Breast | 77.8 | 76.3 | 64.8 | 48.1 | 53.9 | 52.3 | 41.8 | 35.6 | 18.7 | 54.4 | 14.0 | 3.3 | - | 45.4 |
| Breast and Hand | 1.6 | 6.7 | 12.3 | 15.4 | 10.1 | 8.1 | 10.1 | 8.5 | 17.3 | 10.2 | 26.3 | 18.3 | 4.5 | 11.3 |
| Hand | 20.6 | 17.0 | 22.9 | 36.5 | 36.0 | 39.6 | 48.1 | 55.9 | 64.0 | 35.4 | 59.7 | 78.4 | 95.5 | 43.3 |
New Health Centre. It had been apparent for some time that additional
provision would have to be made in Eltham, where there had been a great increase
in the population. Practically all the new houses which have been built in the
Borough are in Eltham, and the Council's estate of over 2,000 houses is there also.
The Council had accordingly under consideration how best to make provision
for the necessary health services for this part of the Borough, and ultimately
decided that an effort should be made to provide a centre which would be capable
of dealing with all children up to the school leaving age, and so negotiations were
entered into with the London County Council, who, as the Education Authority,
are responsible for the medical inspection and treatment of school children.
Ultimately, with the approval of the Ministry of Health, plans were sanctioned
for the erection of a combined maternity and child welfare and school treatment
centre. This centre, which was practically completed at the end of the year, was
opened by the Minister of Health on February 14th, 1931, and may be described
as follows:—
"The centre is unique in one respect: it is the first centre in London which has
been specially designed and equipped to provide for the school medical service—
a very desirable linking up of the medical examination and care of the pre-school
and school child.