London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]

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31
AMBULANCE FACILITIES.
(a) For Infectious Cases.—Provided by the London County
Council—Eastern Ambulance Station, Homerton Grove, E.9.
(b) For Non-Infectious and Accident Cases.—The London
County Council has an ambulance station in Paragon Road.
(c) For Maternity Cases.—Provided by the London County
Council.
Urgent cases are removed at any hour of the day or night free
of cost on application by a qualified medical practitioner or certified
midwife, provided that a doctor or midwife accompanies the patient-
Non-urgent cases are removed at any hour of the day or night
free of cost if admission to a maternity bed has previously been
arranged, and a card (issued by the London County Council to
hospitals, maternity homes, etc.) for such admission obtained.
The card must be handed to the ambulance attendant at the time
of removal. The husband or a female friend must accompany the
patient.
PROFESSIONAL NURSING IN THE HOME.
The nursing of the sick poor in their homes is carried on in the
Borough by the Hackney District Nursing Association which
employs a staff, including the Superintendent, of 31 trained nurses.
The Association undertakes on behalf of the Borough Council
the nursing service which the Council is authorised to provide by
the various public health and maternity and child welfare Acts and
Regulations. In respect of this service the Council makes an annual
grant of £600 to the Association—£360 for nursing infectious and
other cases within the scope of the Public Health Acts and Regulations
and £240 for maternity and child welfare nursing.

The following table shows the number of cases attended and the visits paid by the nurses on the Council's behalf during the year.

No. of Cases Nursed.No. of Visits Paid.
Epidemic diarrhoea (children under 5 years of age)418
Maternity Nursing31409
Measles52513
Do. (children under 5 years of age)881,109
Pneumonia461,016
Do. (children under 5 years of age)17332
Pemphigus Neonatorum120