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 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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General Provision ot Health Services in the Area
Professional Nursing in the Home.—The Isleworth Nursing Association carries on this
work in part of the district, and the Osterley, North Hounslow and Heston Nursing Association
deals with the cases in the remaining area.
No definite arrangements exist for nursing infectious diseases in the home, but emergency
cases which may require it are dealt with as they arise. Suitably trained nurses are put in, if
necessary for day and night duty.
Midwives.—The inspection of Midwives is under the supervision of the County Council.
It is, however, generally recognised that the authority administering a Maternity and Child Welfare
Scheme should also exercise control over the Midwives practising in its area.
In this district it is the practice of Health Visitors not to visit the newly bom till 11 days
after the birth, in order not to interfere with the Midwife.
According to the County Medical Officer's last list, there are 23 Midwives practising in the
district. This figure does not include 10 Midwives on the staff of the West Middlesex County
Hospital.
There is still some difficulty in the Isleworth end of the district owing to the shortage of
midwives. A number of the births are attended from a Nursing Home outside the district.
No Midwife is employed or subsidised by this Council.
LABORATORY WORK, 1935.
We have still been dealing with the aftermath of the fire and its ravages in the office.
The Laboratory work, since the fire, has been carried out by the Clinical Research Association,
and a few minor matters by Dr. Murray, the Pathologist to the Richmond Hospital.
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Now that it takes substantially longer to obtain reports on materials sent to the Laboratory the local Practitioners are realising what the advantage is to them of a Municipal Laboratory whereby when a swab is sent in one day they have the report first thing th'e following morning.
| Total. | Positive | |
|---|---|---|
| Swabs for Diphtheria sent by Medical Practitioners | 454 | 34 |
| Taken from Schools, Clinics and from Contacts | 683 | 14 |
| Sub-Cultures | 9 | _ |
| Sent from Staines Joint Isolation Hospital | 180 | 40 |
| Total cultures examined | 1326 | 88 |
| No. of Swabs, included in above total, which were examined by Clinical Research Association or at Other Laboratories | 799 | 57 |
| Virulency Tests (examined at Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories 4, and by Clinical Research Association 2) | 6 | 4 |
| Blood examination for Enteric Widal Tests (sent to Clinical Research Association) | 5 | 3 |
| Specimens of Sputum for Tubercle Bacilli sent by Medical Practitioners (42 examined by Clinical Research Association) | 74 | 15 |
| Specimens of Sputum for Tubercle Bacilli taken at Clinics (1 examined by Clinical Research Association) | 2 | _ |
| Hairs for Ringworm taken at Schools or Clinics (12 examined by Clinical Research Association) | 26 | 13 |
| Blood examination for Wassermann Tests (sent to Camberwell Research Laboratory) | 5 | _ |
| Other Specimens— | ||
| Urine | 1036 | |
| Discharge (8 examined by Clinical Research Association) | 19 | |
| Milk | 1 | |
| Blood examinations for Anaemia | ||