London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
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]
This page requires JavaScript
Mrs. Whitten, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Coeshall, Mrs. Gunning, Mrs. Hutchings, Mrs. White, Mrs.
Bush, Mrs. Sinclair, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Clarke, Mrs. Curwood, Mrs. Naish, Mrs. Janes, Mrs.
Staplehurst, Mrs. Jennings, Mrs. Boyer, Mrs. Jupe, Mrs. Gates, Mrs. Horton, Mrs. Johnstone, Mrs.
Forster, Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Jones, at the lsleworth Health Centre; Mrs. Colbrook, Mrs.
Brierley, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Munday, Mrs. Pegwell, Mrs. Andrews and Mrs. Cooper, at the Heston
Centre.
At Hounslow No. 2 Centre it has been the custom for the mother in better circumstances to
provide the layette and useful baby clothing for the expectant mother who has found it a difficult
matter owing to the unemployment of the husband, etc.
Home Visiting.—The visits by the Health Visitors in connection with the Maternity and Child Welfare Work were as follows :—
| 1st visits to babies under 1 year | 1368 |
| Other visits to babies and children up to 5 years | 5425 |
| Other visits to mothers | 486 |
| Inquiries made elicited— | |
| Feeding—Natural | 1031 |
| Artificial | 100 |
| Both | 63 |
| Sleeping with parents | 115 |
| Using comforter | 180 |
| Mother working during pregnancy | 51 |
Summary of Nurses' Visits.
| Total to expectant mothers | 260 |
| Total to other mothers | 226 |
| Total to children under 1 year of age | 4206 |
| Total to children between the ages of 1 and 5 years | 2587 |
| Visits re Public Health matters, infectious diseases, tuberculosis, etc. | 802 |
| Total | 8081 |
(The above numbers include 878 visits in connection with infant life protection).
Health Visitors' attendances at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, Ante-Natal
Clinics, etc., 778.
Health Visitors' attendances at Diphtheria Immunisation Clinics, 174.
Home Help for Mothers.—Persons entitled to the assistance of a Home Help are those
whose income is less than 8/- per head per week after the rent has been deducted, but in very
exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Medical Officer of Health, this may be extended
up to 10/- per head. No charge is made to the applicant for the services of the Home Helo.
Usually the Home Help attends at a case for two weeks after the birth of the infant, but
in some cases, i.e. where the husband is unemployed, etc., a Home Help is sent in for half days
only. This enables the husband who can help in the home, to sign on at the Employment
Exchange and also look for employment. The rate of payment of the Home Help is £2 per week.
The number of cases at which the Home Helps have been called upon to attend during the
year, was 31.
44