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
Beddington and Wallington 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beddington and Wallington]
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Poliomyelitis
The Poliomyelitis vaccination scheme, introduced in January 1956 continued, within the prescribed age groups, throughout 1959. The following is a summary of the persons who had been vaccinated by the end of the year:
| Two Injections | Three Injections | |
|---|---|---|
| Children born 1943—1959 | 6420 | 5444 |
| Young persons born 1933—1942 | 1324 | 561 |
| Expectant Mothers | 353 | 207 |
| General Practitioner and Ambulance Staff | 60 | 29 |
| 8157 | 6241 |
It will be noticed from the above table, that very many more injections
have been given during the year. The response within the age groups
specified has increased, and it is to be hoped soon, that no young person
will pass into adult life without having had these injections, either in infancy
or during school life.
School Clinics
With the coming into operation of the 1944 Education Act, the
Medical Officer of Health was appointed in September, 1945, Divisional
Medical Officer for the Beddington and Wallington half of the MidEastern
Divisional Executive of the County of Surrey. School clinics
continued to be conducted at The Grange Mansion, Wallington, Rochester
Road and Phoenix Flats, Carshalton. The services provided at these
clinics were general medical inspection and treatment, dental treatment,
speech therapy and physiotherapy.
Cleansing of Persons
During 1959 the Corporation continued to provide facilities for cleansing
infested persons.
During the year, the Corporation designed a new Public Lavatory,
situated in London Road, in the grounds of the Grange Park.
As the destruction of the old premises on which the lavatory was constructed,
involved the pulling down of the Cleansing Station, a new Cleansing
Station was incorporated in the new buildings. The whole scheme was
completed, and the building opened in 1959.
The general standard of cleanliness, as shown by the examinations
conducted by Health Visitors in schools and clinics, is at an extremely
high level, a very small number of people having been treated. It is
now rare to find a child in school suffering from pediculosis of the head
or body.
Special attention paid by Health Visitors and Public Health Inspectors
during their routine visits and through their contact with the public at
the Town Hall, together with a higher standard of personal hygiene,
makes real uncleanliness a rare condition.
During the year no treatments for scabies were carried out at the Cleansing
Station.
LABORATORY FACILITIES
The Corporation's arrangements for the examination of swabs, sputa
and other pathological material continue as heretofore.
During 1959, H. Amphlett Williams, Esq., Ph.D.(Lond.), A.C.G.F.C.,
F.R.T.C, Public Analyst, 1 Southwark Street, S.E.1, continued the
arrangement made in 1946 for the examination of milk, water and
ice-cream.
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