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
Walthamstow 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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18
First attendances number 1,565 against 2,017 in 1955, and
re-attendances 2,149 against 3,780, the total attendances being 3,714
against 5,797.
The following table shows the new cases and attendances at Minor Ailment Clinics since the "appointed day" in July, 1948. The decrease reflects the tendency for children to be taken to family doctors.
| 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New cases | 5,086 | 3,757 | 3,356 | 3,106 | 2,990 | 2,397 | 1,782 | 2,017 | 1,565 |
| Attendances | 16,490 | 14,112 | 11,515 | 10,000 | 10,634 | 8,544 | 7,019 | 5,797 | 3,714 |
(e) Dental Treatment. — Mr. L. W. Elmer, Senior Dental
Surgeon, submits the following report:—
"During the year under review 10,529 children were inspected
at schools. This is rather less than had been anticipated, partly
owing to the absence of one of the staff who attended a course of
instruction in America. Of this number a total of 5,634 were
found to require treatment and 3,824 were offered it. Owing to
the increasing demand for conservative work it was found necessary
to use some discretion in offering this treatment to those children
and their parents who showed a lack of interest in dental care.
All children were, of course, given emergency treatment if required.
The number requiring emergency treatment was 2,639 and of these
2,394 were treated during the year.
"The difference between those offered treatment after school
inspection (3,894) and those given treatment (5,498) represents
the back-log resulting from the number of inspections in the
previous year.
"With regard to the number of "units" representing fillings
and extractions carried out, the total per session is 14. However,
if allowance is made for those sessions when other work, such as
orthodontic work or general anaesthetics administration, is carried
out, the figure is 18.
"Upon the conclusion of my 25 years in Walthamstow, may
I be allowed to make the following comments. Upon my appointment,
I was given to understand that your Committee wished the
children of Walthamstow to receive not only the best of treatment
but also as much consideration as possible. In carrying out this
policy to the best of my ability I have received unchanging support
at all times from the Walthamstow Borough Council and the
Medical Officer of Health and I should like to record the deep
appreciation of my staff and myself. It is largely due to this
co-operation that, in these difficult times of staff shortages, a dental
staff has been recruited and retained which is, apart from quality,
numerically superior to many other areas.''