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
Mitcham 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Mitcham]
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22
A clinic for cases booked by the midwives is held each
Wednesday at Church Road Clinic.
Average Attendance at Each Centre
| Number of expectant mothers | Number of attendances | Average Clinic attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodlands (two clinics) | 295 | 1,874 | 18.7 |
| Church Road Clinic | 354 | 1,534 | 29.5 |
| Midwives' Clinic | 254 | 999 | 19.2 |
| Total | 903 | 4,407 | 23.7 |
Of the total number of registered births, 91 per cent. of
the mothers had attended the ante-natal centres.
Thirty-seven expectant mothers who attended the ante-natal
centres were evacuated for their confinements.
General Remarks
The clinics were reserved, as in previous years, for those
cases entering Woodlands, hospital, or for evacuation, or who
were to be confined in their own homes and attended by midwives.
Any patient who was to be attended by her own doctor
was advised to attend him for her ante-natal supervision.
Any patient found to be suffering from any serious pathological
condition was referred to her own doctor or to hospital,
a letter giving details of the conditions present accompanying
the patient in either case. Midwives are welcomed at the centres,
and copies of their patients' ante-natal notes are forwarded to
them for reference.
Cod liver oil emulsion, Virol or Parrish's Food, and extra
nourishment were supplied free to necessitous and debilitated
patients.
X-Ray Examinations
Arrangements have been made with the Wilson Hospital,
Mitcham, for the X-ray examination of women attending the antenatal
clinics. The majority of the examinations are made to
determine the presentation of the child in doubtful cases, and
also to confirm the diagnosis of twins.