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
East Ham 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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The nurseries are open from Monday to Friday each week, with the exception of Public Holidays, and the total attendances during 1953/1954 were as follows:-
| Nursery | Total attendances | Average dally attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 1954 | 1953 | 1954 | |
| Roman Road (1.1.53 - 2.4.53) | 501 | - | 7.6 | - |
| School Road (1.1.53 - 2.4.53) | 1,244 | - | 18.8 | - |
| St. Stephen's Road | 9,689 | 33.2 | 37.8 | |
| Wall End/Caledon Road | 7,084 | 33.1 | 27.8 | |
| Total | 18,664 | 16,773 | ||
The overall need for day nursery provision in selected oases is still
manifest In 1953, but the great reduction in attendance at the School Road
and Roman Road Nurseries would appear to indicate that these centres could
be closed in the Interests of economy and the children diverted to the St.
Stephen's Road and Wall End Nurseries which at the present time have a
greater daily use.
This policy, in fact, was adopted by the Council, and in 1953 all the
remaining children were concentrated In the two central nurseries, transport
being employed morning and evening to ensure that no hardship devolved
on mothers in bringing and taking home their children.
It will, however, be seen from the attendance figures for 1954 that
there is a steady decline in the need for this service.
Higher wages, full employment, greater social security, and better
housing, all may play a part in the reduction of the community need for
children's day nursery accommodation.
ALDERSBROOK MATERNITY HOSPITAL. STATISTICS
| 1953 | 1954 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of beds on 31st December | ||||
| " " midwives employed | 7 | 5 | ||
| " " patients confined during the period | ||||
| (a) midwifery | 457 | 329 | ||
| (b) maternity nursing | ||||
| 457 | 329 | |||
| " " midwives qualified to administer gas and air analgesia | 5 | |||
| " " sets of apparatus of gas and air analgesia in use | ||||
| " " patients to whom gas and air analgesia was administered by midwives during the period | ||||
| (a) when acting as a midwife | 448 | |||
| (b) " " " " maternity nurse | ||||
| 448 | ||||
| " " patients to whom pethidine was administered by midwives during period | ||||
| (a) when acting as midwife | 374 | 194 | ||
| (b) when acting as maternity nurse | - | |||
| 374 | 194 | |||
| " " occasions, medical aid sought by midwives under section 14(1) of the Midwives Act, 1951 | 37 | |||
| " " infant deaths during the year | 1 | |||
| " " premature infants born during the year | 6 | |||
| " " still births during the year | - | 1 |