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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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General Provision of 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 was under the supervision of the County Council
during the year 1936.
In December, 1936, the Council decided to make application to the Ministry of Health
under Section 62 of the Local Government Act, 1929, for an Order constituting the Borough
Council the Local Supervising Authority for the purposes of the Midwives Acts, 1902-1936
within the Borough of Heston and Isleworth. Preparations are in hand to go forward with the
necessary duties in connection with the provision of the new Domiciliary Service of Midwives
under the Midwives Act, 1936, which would come into operation next year.
In this district it is the practice of Health Visitors not to visit the newly born 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 20 Midwives practising in
the district. This figure does not include 11 Midwives on the staff of the West Middlesex County
Hospital.
No Midwife is employed or subsidised by this Council, but in necessitous cases the midwives'
fees, or part thereof, may be paid by the Borough Council.
The routine Laboratory work, since the fire, was carried out by the Clinical Researc Association, until 14th September, 1936, when a temporary Laboratory was established at th temporary premises occupied by the Department.
| Total. | Positive. | |
|---|---|---|
| Swabs for Diphtheria sent by Medical Practitioners | 241 | 12 |
| Taken from Schools, Clinics and from Contacts | 420 | 3 |
| Sub-Cultures | 7 | 1 |
| Sent from Staines Joint Isolation Hospital | 116 | 13 |
| Total cultures examined | 784 | 29 |
| No of Swabs, included in above total, which were examined by Clinical Research Association or at Other Laboratories | 575 | 20 |
| Virulency Tests (examined by Clinical Research Association) | 4 | 1 |
| Blood examination for Enteric Widal Tests (sent to Clinical Research Association) | 1 | 1 |
| Specimens of Sputum for Tubercle Bacilli sent by Medical Practitioners (66 examined by Clinical Research Association) | 94 | 16 |
| Specimens of Sputum for Tubercle Bacilli taken at Clinics | 2 | - |
| Hairs for Ringworm taken at Schools or Clinics (all examined by Clinical Research Association) | 16 | 11 |
| Blood examination for Wassermann Tests (sent to Camberwell Research Laboratory) | 6 | - |
| Specimen of Faeces (examined by Clinical Research Association) | 1 | - |
| Specimens of Cerebro-Spinal fluid (examined by Clinical Research Association) | 2 | - |
| Swabs for organisms other than Diphtheria Bacilli | 16 | |
| Other Specimens— | ||
| Urine | 1168 | |
| Discharge (6 examined by Clinical Research Association) | 7 | |
| Milk | — | |
| Blood examinations for Anaemia | 1 |