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
Heston and Isleworth 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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Special mention must be made of the undermentioned for services rendered at the Welfare
Clinics, and also for gifts of prams, toys, clothing, etc., which are given to the other mothers. Mrs.
Griffen, Mrs. Killick, Mrs. Goff, Miss Goff, Mrs. Davies, Mrs. Sheen, Mrs. Buckingham, Mrs. Gilchrist,
Mrs. Dolphin, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Bugg, Mrs. Wren, Mrs. Franklin, Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Rich, Mrs.
Harrison, Mrs. Hillman, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Ellis, and Mrs. Addison at the Hounslow (Douglas Road)
Centre ; Mrs. Sutton, Miss Huguier, and Mrs. Hunt at the Hounslow (Clipstone House) Centre; Mrs.
Agar, Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Chedgey, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Newman, and Miss Wotton at the Isleworth
Centre ; Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Ardley, Mrs. Griffiths, and Mrs. McDonald at the Heston Centre.
At the Isleworth Christmas Party Mrs. Brown did valuable work in connection with the
arrangements for the tea.
| 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st visits to babies under 1 year | 1125 | 1304 | 1395 | 1472 | 1520 |
| Routine Re-visits to babies and Children up to 5 years | 4204 | 4311 | 3982 | 4190 | 3210 |
| Inquiries made, elicited— Feeding—Natural | 806 | 887 | 980 | 1105 | 1135 |
| Artificial | 47 | 44 | 77 | 64 | 95 |
| Both | 40 | 32 | 56 | 51 | 44 |
| Sleeping with parents | 247 | 277 | 260 | 247 | 154 |
| Using comforter | 154 | 168 | 195 | 217 | 175 |
| Mother working during pregnancy | 51 | 48 | 53 | 44 | 29 |
Year 1932. Other visits.
Post-natal 5
Ante-natal—First visits 67
Subsequent visits 8
Infants' Deaths and Stillbirths,
Visits paid 98
Ophthalmia Nenonatorum and
Discharging Eyes 183
Infantile Diarrhoea 2
Puerperal Fever and Puerperal
Pyrexia 22
Measles and German
Measles 53
Whooping Cough 22
Chicken Pox 8
Pneumonia 64
Bronchitis 26
Children
under
5 years.
Milk and Food Cases 50
Home help 12
Infant Protection Visits 558
Social conditions 27
| Total to expectant mothers | 75 |
| „ children under 1 year of age | 4053 |
| ,, children between the ages of 1 and 5 years | 2007 |
| Visits re Public Health matters, infectious diseases, tuberculosis, etc. | 228 |
| Total | 6363 |
Health Visitors' attendances at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, Ante-Natal Clinics,
etc., 627.
Health Visitors' attendances at Diphtheria Immunisation Clinics, 191.
Home Help for Mothers.—The Home Help paid 26 visits during the year, and her work
was found of considerable value. She also assists at the Centres, and makes dressings, when not
occupied with her other duties. One is finding that the demand for a Home Help is not as great as
it was some years ago, largely due to the work being undertaken by friendly neighbours.
In addition to her work as Home Help, in part of her time she carries out cleansing of unclean
heads, under a special scheme. She was trained at one of the London Cleansing Stations ; the
Council provides the Sackers' combs and the necessary shampoo and towels. A fee of 1/- is charged
for each case. By this means any child who is excluded from school, can be back within two days,
and the cleansing is not carried out by an officer of the department acting as such. During the
year 87 children have been cleansed.
Grants of Milk.—Milk is supplied free or at reduced rate to expectant mothers (during the
last three months of pregnancy), to nursing mothers, and to children under three. The scale of
grants for provision of milk has been fixed as follows :—
Where the family income after deducting rent is less than—
4/- per head Free.
4/- to 5/- per head Parent pays 1/3 cost.
5/- to 7/6 per head Parent pays 2/3 cost.
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