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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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A child referred to the Council's dental clinic for treatment
is supervised thereafter at regular intervals until he goes to school,
and every effort is made by those who deal with young children
and their parents to encourage the preservation of the temporary
teeth. Extractions are done under local anaesthetics for mothers,
but in the case of children, de Trey's apparatus is used for the
administration of gas and oxygen.
Table XII.
Work of the dental clinics.
| Year. | Mothers. | Children under 5 years. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st attendances. | Total attendances. | No. of dentures supplied. | 1st attendances. | Total attendances. | Attendances, | ||
| Extractions. | Fillings. | ||||||
| 1933 | 404 | 1,258 | - | 840 | 3,134 | 621 | 1,611 |
| 1934 | 353 | 1,299 | — | 694 | 2,732 | 651 | 1,406 |
| 1935 | 468 | 1,679 | 73 | 708 | 2,531 | 839 | 1,176 |
| 1936 | 580 | 2,739 | 434 | 657 | 2,351 | 747 | 958 |
| 1937 | 534 | 2,699 | 870 | 678 | 2,231 | 763 | 883 |
Artificial sunlight treatment. Artificial sunlight treatment
is provided for selected cases by agreement with the Committee
of the Stratford Day Nursery. The children are referred
from the various child welfare clinics in the borough. Treatment
is provided twice weekly, under the supervision of Dr. Eva Morton
assisted by a municipal health visitor. In addition, the centre is
open three times weekly for the treatment of children not eligible
under the Council's scheme.
Attendances at the sunlight clinic.
(1) Municipal clinic (2 sessions per week).
Total number of new cases 83
Total attendances for treatment 1,634
(2) Day Nursery clinic.
Total number of new cases 72
Total attendances for treatment 2,423
The children are referred for such conditions as persistent
anaemia, malnutrition, bronchial catarrh, or for nervous manifestation,
e.g. restlessness, excitability. Attendances are fairly regular,
232