London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Southall-Norwood 1936

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]

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Borough of Southall.—Health Department
TODDLERS CLINICS
A SPECIAL CLINIC FOR TODDLERS IS HELD AT THE MANOR HOUSE
ON THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS IN THE MONTH AT 10 A.M.,
AND A SIMILAR CLINIC IS HELD AT THE BRANCH CENTRE ON THE
SECOND AND FOURTH WEDNESDAYS IN THE MONTH AT THE SAME
TIME.
This is an important link in the scheme for safeguarding the health of young
children and ensuring their correct development and growth, as it is essential, in
order to lay a solid foundation for permanent good health, to detect and treat at the
earliest moment any deviation from the normal. For purposes of general supervision
toddlers will continue to attend the ordinary infant welfare sessions: the proposed
clinic is in order to give special attention to them at regular intervals. It is proposed
to make a medical examination of children at or near the following ages:
18 months. 3 years.
2 years. 4 years.
Treatment will be arranged for small defects found as a result of the examination
free of charge. If however in-patient treatment is necessary at hospitals this will be
done, with the consent of the parent, either free or at a graduated cost according to
the parents' ability to pay.
The clinics will normally be arranged by appointment, thereby reducing the
time spent at them, and an attempt will be made to remind parents at or near their
child's birthday that they may avail themselves of the service offered. It will often
however be impossible to give this reminder and in any case the mother or guardian
will help the Department if she herself makes an appointment a few weeks before she
wishes the child to be examined. This may be done by calling at the Manor House at
any time during office hours, or by calling at the Branch Centre at any time it is
open for ordinary clinic purposes, or by getting in touch with the Health Visitor.
IT IS HOPED THAT PARENTS WILL REALISE THE SUBSTANTIAL
BENEFITS WHICH MAY ACCRUE TO THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THIS
SCHEME AND THAT THEY WILL CO-OPERATE ACCORDINGLY.
E. H. R. SMITHARD, M.D., D.P.H.,
Medical Officer of Health.
The first clinic was held on the first Wednesday in October. The
attendance thereafter has been variable: sometimes a few, sometimes an
embarassingly large number. It is hoped that as the clinic becomes better
known parents will consider it a duty both to themselves and to the child to
present the child for examination at the yearly intervals requested.
The results for the three months to the end of the year are shown in
the following statistical tables:—

Table No. 19.

N umber of I nspections in stated G roups:

Manor HouseBranch CentreTotal
18 months182543
2 years222042
3 years7916
4 years81725
Total Routine5571126
Other inspections33
Total5574129