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 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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57.
TABLE 38
CONVALESCENT HOME TREATMENT - PERIOD OF' TREATMENT
| Age Groups | Year | Sex | Up to 1 week | 1-2 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 3-4 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 5-6 weeks | over 6 weeks | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under Five Years | 1956 | M | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 7 |
| F | - | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 8 | ||
| M | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1957 | F | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | |
| School Children | 1956 | M | - | 2 | 16 | 10 | 12 | - | 1 | 41 |
| F | 2 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 1 | - | 33 | ||
| M | - | 4 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 1 | - | 29 | ||
| 1957 | F | - | - | 7 | 12 | 5 | - | - | 24 | |
| Adults | M | - | - | 21 | 40 | 1 | - | - | 62 | |
| 1956 | F | 1 | - | 39 | 84 | 6 | - | - | 130 | |
| 1957 | M | - | 36 | 21 | - | - | - | 57 | ||
| F | 1 | 4 | 81 | 36 | 3 | - | 3 | 128 | ||
| Totals | 1956 | 3 | 4 | 91 | 147 | 30 | 1 | 5 | 281 | |
| 1957 | 2 | 9 | 131 | 83 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 245 |
TABLE 39
The recommendations for this treatment were submitted by:-
| Referred by | Children 0-5 | School children | Adults | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 1957 | 1956 | 1957 | 1956 | 1957 | 1956 | 1957 | |
| General Practitioners | 5 | 3 | 30 | 21 | 154 | 150 | 189 | 174 |
| Hospitals | - | - | - | - | 9 | 15 | 9 | 15 |
| East Ham Chest Clinic | 1 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 25 | 20 | 35 | 25 |
| School Health Service | - | - | 29 | 22 | - | - | 29 | 22 |
| M. & C.W. Section | 8 | 2 | - | - | 3 | - | 11 | 2 |
| Child Guidance Centre | 1 | - | 6 | 7 | 1 | - | 8 | 7 |
| Totals | 15 | 7 | 74 | 53 | 192 | 185 | 281 | 245 |
For comparison the numbers of children and adults receiving this form of treatment In previous years are appended:-
| 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children 0-5 years | 12 | 27 | 14 | 15 | 7 |
| Schoolchildren | 80 | 90 | 80 | 74 | 53 |
| Adults | 117 | 158 | 175 | 192 | 185 |
It can be observed from the statistics for the years 1953 to 1957 that the trend Is towards a con
valescent service mainly for adults.
Great care is exercised ln the selection of adult cases to ensure the need is a recuperative period
after a debilitating illness or accident, and not merely a desired holiday away from home and the
environment of East Ham.
The exercise of selection often taxes one's discrimination and humanity to the full, but by taking
into consideration all the available evidence, including observations by the family doctor, our own officers
and the hospital staffs, equitable assessment is arrived at in most instances.