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
Heston and Isleworth 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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The following numbers of children under school age were sent for treatment:—
| 1939 | 9 | 1943 | 38 |
| 1940 | 5 | 1944 | 41 |
| 1941 | 8 | 1945 | 45 |
| 1942 | 24 | 1946 | 25 |
DEFECTIVE VISION TREATMENT.—Children under school age in whom a defect of vision
is diagnosed or suspected are referred to the eye clinics established under the School Medical Service.
The following numbers of children have been examined and spectacles prescribed where necessary:—
| 1939 | 50 | 1943 | 48 |
| 1940 | 54 | 1944 | 48 |
| 1941 | 56 | 1945 | 73 |
| 1942 | 45 | 1946 | 59 |
The following numbers of children have been treated:—
| 1939 | 51 | 1943 | 39 |
| 1940 | 76 | 1944 | 49 |
| 1941 | 58 | 1945 | 44 |
| 1942 | 30 | 1946 | 62 |
SPEECH CLINIC.—The following numbers of children under school age were treated by the
Speech Therapist: 6 in 1944, 14 in 1945, and 15 in 1946.
MEDICAL OUT-RELIEF.—.This work is carried out by the District Medical Officers appointed
by Middlesex County Council.
VENEREAL DISEASE.—Facilities for diagnosis and free treatment are provided by Middlesex
County Council and the nearest centres are West Middlesex and West London Hospitals. In necessitous
cases fares are paid by the County Council.
VACCINATION.—The work under the Vaccination Acts is carried out by the Public Vaccinators
appointed by Middlesex County Council. The number of vaccinated persons in the Borough is not known.
TUBERCULOSIS.—The diagnosis and treatment of persons suffering from tuberculosis is
undertaken by Middlesex County Council and the clinic serving this area is at 28 Bell Road, Hounslow,
I he following table, showing the proportions of births at home, in West Middlesex Hospital, in Nursing Homes and outside the Borough, indicates that municipal midwives attended 41.2 per cent. of the births in 1938 and 46.3 per cent. in 1940 as compared with 25.9 per cent. in 1946.
| Year | Total Live Births | Domiciliary confinements in Borough | Nursing home and, hospital confinements in Borough | Confinements outside Borough | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | W.M.H. | N.H. | Total | % | No. | % | ||
| 1938 | 1,484 | 611 | 41.2 | 516 | 84 | 600 | 40.4 | 273 | 18.4 |
| 1939 | 1,566 | 650 | 41.5 | 479 | 114 | 593 | 37.9 | 323 | 20.6 |
| 1940 | 1,368 | 633 | 46.3 | 425 | 70 | 495 | 36.2 | 240 | 17.5 |
| 1941 | 1,261 | 573 | 45.4 | 323 | 94 | 417 | 33.1 | 271 | 21.5 |
| 1942 | 1,447 | 597 | 41.2 | 542 | 135 | 677 | 46.8 | 173 | 12.0 |
| 1943 | 1,600 | 580 | 36.3 | 476 | 189 | 665 | 41.6 | 355 | 22.1 |
| 1944 | 1,556 | 478 | 30.7 | 480 | 185 | 665 | 42.8 | 413 | 26.5 |
| 1945 | 1,478 | 366 | 24.8 | 517 | 160 | 677 | 45.8 | 435 | 29.4 |
| 1946 | 1,805 | 470 | 26.0 | 647 | 206 | 853 | 47.3 | 482 | 26.7 |
The percentage of cases attended by midwives in which the midwife sought medical aid is shown below:—
| 1939 | 36.0 | 1943 | 38.0 |
| 1940 | 36.0 | 1944 | 29.5 |
| 1941 | 37.0 | 1945 | 29.0 |
| 1942 | 37.0 | 1946 | 37.7 |