View report page

Small-pox. By arrangement with the County Council, cases of
small-pox are admitted to the Small-pox Hospital at Clandon.
General and Accident Cases. Cases from this area are admitted
to:—
Carshalton, Beddington and Wallington District (War
Memorial) Hospital.
St. Helier County Hospital, Carshalton.
Croydon General Hospital.
The Wilson Hospital, Mitcham.
MUNICIPAL HOSPITALS.
The Municipal Hospitals serving this area are administered by
the Surrey County Council, and are situated at Epsom, Kingston and
St. Helier, Carshalton.
Maternity Cases. Under an agreement between the Council and
the Carshalton, Beddington and Wallington District (War Memorial)
Hospital, a limited number of maternity cases are admitted upon the
recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health, but a much greater
number go to the Municipal Hospitals.
CLEANLINESS.
The general standard of cleanliness in the Borough is very good
and particular attention has always been paid to this subject by the
Health Visitors. The practice advocated by the Minister of Health in
Circular 2831 of concentration on the homes known to be most in need
of help in this matter has always been in force in this area.
Approximately 80 per cent. of the children under five are regular
attenders at the Council Welfare Centres, and full advantage is taken
of the opportunity presented to keep the greater part of the under
five population under constant surveillance. Great importance is
attached to the education of the mothers in this matter and the fact
that nearly 78 per cent. of the expectant mothers in the Borough
attend the Ante-Natal Clinic is not overlooked, and the stressing of the
importance of cleanliness is a feature of ante-natal care.
Full co-operation exists between the Health Visitors and the
officials of the School Medical Service.
The Borough of Beddington and Wallington has always shown a
low incidence of scabies and pediculosis owing to the good social conditions
and little overcrowding formerly prevailing. The acute housing
shortage, intensified during 1945 by the return home of men and
women from the Forces and other forms of national service, resulted
in a considerable degree of overcrowding, and in such conditions an
increase in the incidence of scabies had been anticipated.
Nevertheless, the cases treated during the year—viz., 6.7 per 1,000
of the estimated population—still compares very favourably with many
21