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

Tottenham 1959

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]

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64
wise impressed with the upsurge of emotional problems of young mothers. There seems to be an
increased urge by parents to do the "best" for children and this calls for deep understanding,
sympathy, tact andresourcefulness on the part of the health visitors and doctors and an increasing
need for an intimate knowledge of all the social and special services. In turn this calls for even
closer co-operation between the many services available and those who work in them, both by
personal contacts and through the medium of liaison committees.

Table: The following table shows details of attendances made at all centres during the year: -

The following table shows details of attendances made at all centres during the year: -

Name of CentreNo. of sessions heldNo. of first attendances under 1 yearNo. of attendancesTotal attendancesNo. of cases seen by M.O.Average attendance per session
Under 1 yearOver 1 but under 2Over 2 but under 5
Burgoyne Road15330448887531935834141638.1
Church Road17723832985541163968155622.4
Portis Green15632438787821664826184030.9
Hornsey Town Hall207521609310292637385283035.7
Mildura Court1042523609693654367139442.0
Stroud Green10126431234211233667142236.3
The Chestnuts24550066079222047729253931.5
Lordship Lane258412565411221696945177226.9
Park Lane204358531210933056710169732.9
Somerset Road14428741679032045274160936.6
Totals 1959174934604662582721808567051807532.4
Totals 1958173335504744479071605569561783932.9
Totals 1957169131544466770911980537381701731.8

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Toddlers Clinics
These sessions for the pre- school child continue to be conducted at all the centres; and
present a challenge to all our staff. Ideally, after the second birthday the "toddler" should be
seen by appointment at six monthly intervals or more frequently if necessary. In this way,
defects, mental, physical or environmental, can be found and rectified before the child enters
school. Those defects which are most likely to be a hindrance are those connected with sight,
hearing, speech, motivation, mental acuity or social adjustment. The routine examination of
children before they enter school is thus of the utmost importance and makes it possible to
reduce the number of untreated defects found in school entrants.