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
Ilford 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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Rheumatism Clinic.
The Physician attended 31 morning sessions during the year, and 156
children (77 of these being new cases) made 248 attendances. The 156
children were found to be suffering from the following conditions:—
| Defects Found | New Cases | Old Cases | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary Stenosis | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| Rheumatic Carditis | — | 2 | 2 |
| Other forms of Carditis | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| Tachycardia of Nervous origin | 2 | — | 2 |
| Congenital Heart Disease | — | 0 | 6 |
| Rheumatism | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| No Active Rheumatic Disease | 1 | - | 1 |
| Heart Murmur Functional | 35 | 25 | 60 |
| Pains Due to Orthopaedic condition | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Allergic type | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Other conditions | 15 | 21 | 36 |
| N.A.D | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| Totals | 77 | 79 | 156 |
Number of cases referred to General Hospital (In-patients) 18
„ „ ,, Ear. Nose and Throat Surgeon 14
Orthopaedic Surgeon 9
„ „ For X-ray and Electro-Cardiogram 53
„ „ „ Blood Sedimentation Rate 23
Speech Clinics.
Mrs. M. Walker, L.C.S.T. and Mrs. M. Hatfield. L.C.S.T., make the
following report: —
"In the 1953/54 report we indicated that an increase in the
number of Speech Therapists working in Ilford would be more than
justified. Towards the end of 1955 a Therapist was appointed for
6 sessions per week at the newly opened Cerebral Palsy Unit and for
5 sessions at Manford Way—also a new appointment; the services of
a full-time Therapist at Valentines Clinic and a part-time Therapist
at Mayesbrook still being retained.
The children at the Cerebral Palsy Unit have been seen to benefit
from treatment on the premises, in that they no longer suffer the
fatigue of travel before each session, there is no time waste, and they
can be seen a little more frequently than was previously possible.
The Unit, however, is in its infancy and accommodation for speech
therapy is at best inadequate. It has not been possible to provide a
room specially for speech therapy so that both therapist and child
work under difficulties. It is hoped that in the future a room will be
supplied, giving the quiet and familiar atmosphere that is so essential
to the cerebral palsied.
Waiting lists have fluctuated more this year due to the increase
in the number of Therapists, and there have been no outstanding
waits as in previous years.
Therapists in Ilford, as elsewhere, have been interested by the
excellent results of the six-year-old experiment in Leicester City
where there is a special class for stammerers, set in an ordinary school,
with an ordinary school syllabus, except for daily speech therapy.
The children join the rest of the school for art, crafts, music, games
and social activities.