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
West Ham 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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At the visits to the homes of infants and children up to 5
years of age, advice is given to the mothers as to feeding, clothing
and general management; attendance at an Infant Welfare
Clinic is urged by the Health Visitors. Special visits and enquiries
are made into the causes of all deaths up to 5 years of age, and
into all Stillbirths. Special cases, e.g. Puerperal Fever and Puerperal
Pyrexia, Ophthalmia Neonatorum and Pemphigus Neonatorum
are visited weekly as long as is necessary.
| (1) To Expectant Mothers:— | |
| (a) First Visits 1890 | |
| (b) Total Visits | 3149 |
| (2) To Infants under one year:— | |
| (a) First Visits 3853 | |
| 14036 | |
| (3) To children 1—5 years :— | |
| Total | 15044 |
| 8266 | |
| Grand Total Visits | 40495 |
Hospital Accommodation.
The Council does not possess a Municipal Hospital for Maternity
Work ; agreements have been made whereby subsidies are
granted to Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, and to the Plaistow
Maternity Hospital for the treatment of such cases.
The Forest Gate Sick Home, belonging to the late West
Ham Guardians, has a maternity block where a large number of
women are confined.
Continued from previous page...
| Maternity Hospitals. | No. of beds | No. of cases | Weeks spent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Queen Mary's Hospital | 10 | 417 | 691 |
| 2. Plaistow Maternity Hospital | 10 | 572 | 1315 |
Hospitals for Children under 5 years.
Arrangements have been made with St. Mary's Hospital,
E.13, and with the Invalid and Crippled Children's Hospital,
E.13, whereby infants and children under 5 years of age may be
admitted for hospital treatment.
No. of No. of Weeks
beds cases spent
1. St. Mary's Hospital, E.13 ... 10 246 754
2. Children's Hospital, Balaam St.,
E.13 (Orthopoedic) *16 65 406
* (since August, 1929)
Number of children under 5 years in Homes and Hospitals
outside the Borough, 82.
118