Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wanstead and Woodford]
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(e) Hospitals. Public and Voluntary:-
Maternity. There are no maternity hospitals in the
district. Arrangements were in force until the
end of the year, with,
(1) Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, for the
reception of cases recommended by a doctor for
hospital treatment, and also cases where the
home conditions were unsuitable for confinement.
(2) With Waltham Joint Hospital, for the reception
of cases of Puerperal Pyrexia.
Children.- There is a children's ward of five beds at the
Woodford Jubilee Hospital.
Infectious Diseases.- Cases of infectious diseases in
Wanstead and Woodford, which required removal, were taken to the
Waltham Joint Hospital, under the control of the Waltham Joint
Hospital Board.
Since November, 1936, the waltham Joint Hospital Board
have been willing to admit, in addition to Scarlet Fever nd
Diphtheria, cases of the following diseases:-
Complicated cases of Measles, Whooping Cough,
Influenza and Pneumonia;
The acute infectious diseases of the nervous system,
Meningitis, Poliomyelitis and Encephalitis;
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fevers;
Dysentery, Erysipelas and Ophthalmia Neonatorum;
Puerperal Pyrexia.
Smallpox.- The London County Council are prepared to
receive cases of Smallpox from this area into the London
Smallpox Hospital, so long as they have sufficient
accommodation available.
2. Maternity and Child Welfare.
(1) Midwifery and Maternity Services.- No changes have been
made in the personnel of the service. We have three Municipal
Midwives working in the district. Except for ante-natal visiting
they devote the whole of their time to midwifery.
The number of cases attended by them was as follows:-
(a) As Midwives 171
(b) As Maternity Nurses 47
Number of visits paid by these Midwives:-
(a) Number of cases 218
(b) Ante-natal visits 2,284
(c) Nursing visits 3,580
Ante-natal Supervision.- This is given to all women attended
by the Municipal Midwives and in every case one or more examinations
are. made and if necessary treatment is given by a doctor of the
patient's choice. In necessitous cases the fees for the medical
services are paid by the Council. In 1939 payments were made to
medical practitioners in twenty-nine cases.
Consultant.- Owing to the death of Mr. John Ellison, F.R.C.S.
(Ed), this appointment is now vacant.
(2) Institutional Provision for Mothers or Children.- Over
fifty per cent - 385 out of 709 biths in Wanstead and Woodford
occurred in private nursing homes.
Arrangements were made with;
(a) Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, for the
reception of difficult cases, and cases where
the home conditions are unsuitable.
(b) Waltham Joint Hospital, for the reception of
cases of Puerperal Pyrexia.
8.