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
Kingston upon Thames 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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(b) For patients who had arranged to be admitted
to the Kingston County Hospital for the confinement.
These patients were seen at the Kingston County Hospital
Ante-Natal Clinics.
The majority of ante-natal cases, whose confinements
were undertaken by midwives, attended the Kingston Ante-Natal
Clinic. Others received ante-natal care from their family
doctors, under private arrangements.
The following table gives the number of patients who attended the Kingston Ante-Natal Clinics during 1948, and preceding years, together with the total attendances made and the numbers referred to Kingston County Hospital for further investigation:-
| 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 5th July | After 5th July | |||||
| No. of patients | 142 | 126 | 232 | 256 | 117 | 90 |
| No. of attendances | 701 | 671 | 1,328 | 1,752 | 1,032 | 727 |
| Ante-Natal patients referred to Kingston County Hospital | 29 | 23 | 24 | 12 | 10 | |
Special attention was paid at ante-natal clinics to the
general health and nutrition of expectant mothers. Under the
Ministry of Food Scheme, expectant mothers obtained one pint
of milk daily at reduced rate, and, in addition, were considered
priority cases for eggs. Supplementary nourishment
in the form of dried milk, etc., was supplied at the AnteNatal
Clinic, either free or at cost price, dependent upon the
circumstances.
There was also a Government Scheme for the distribution of cod liver oil and orange juice, and the Borough provided, on medical prescriptions, other vitamin preparations and Dried Milk with Iron, either free or at cost price, after application of the income scale set out below-
| No. in family | Scale of income per head of family after deducting rent, rates and insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Full cost remitted | Half cost remitted | |
| 2 | l6s. | 19s. |
| 3 | 15s. | 18s. |
| 4 | 14s. | 17s. |
| 5 | 13s. | l6s. |
| 6 | 12s. | 15s. |
| 7 and over | l1s. | 14s. |
Owing to the limited accommodation for midwifery cases
in the Kingston County Hospital, the Almoner of the Hospital
requested visits to be made to the homes of all mothers
applying for admission to hospital. These visits were made
by the Health Visitors, who decided whether home conditions
were suitable for confinement at home and a recommendation,
in accordance with the home conditions was forwarded to the Almoner.