[Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Aberdeen City.

  • Aberdeen (Scotland). City Council.
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Aberdeen City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    81 (Iff) Attendances at Child Welfare Clinics. The number of children who attended the child welfare clinics during the year, and the number of attendances were as follows: — Total number of children under 5 years of age who first attended at the clinics during the year— (a) Under 1 year of age, 2,411; (b) over 1 year of age, 4,136. Total number of attendances made by children during the year— (a) Under 1 year of age, 23,285; (b) over 1 year of age, 17,133. As mentioned earlier, the total number of children attending is greater than ever before, brut the number of babies attending has fallen slightly. (iy) Facilities for Consultant Advice. Clinical consultants do not attend at any of the Child Welfare Centres, which are regarded essentially as “well baby” clinics. If any condition is found on which expert clinical advice is required, the mother is told to take her child to her general practitioner, who is advised of the condition, and may, thereafter, seek the advice of an appropriate consultant. The system works reasonably satisfactorily. (v) Ultra-Violet Light Clinics. On the recommendation of an assistant medical officer of health, debilitated children can receive ultra-violet light treatment at clinics which are held for that purpose twice weekly at the Charlotte Street, Hilton, and Torry Centres. (yi) Orthopaedic Clinics. An arrangement has been made with the Principal of the Dunfermline College of Physical Training whereby the Corporation’s medical staff may send children suffering from postural defects to a clinic held in the College at Woolmanhill, where remedial exercises are given. This arrangement, in addition to being highly beneficial to the children, is very useful to students. Pre-school children suffering from other orthopaedic defects are referred to an orthopaedic clinic which is also now held at Woolmanhill. The children attending this clinic are examined by an orthopaedic surgeon from the North-Eastern Regional Hospital Board. (c) CARE OF PREMATURE INFANTS. All premature babies born at home are forthwith transferred to the special ward at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. This enables such babies to secure- skilled medical attention and continuous nursing, and gives them the best chance of survival. When it is considered that the babies can safely be sent home, the Health and Welfare Department is notified, and the appropriate health visitor immediately visits the home to ensure that everything necessary is done for the baby. In certain instances, equipment, such as cots, cot blankets, &c., is issued on loan, and the health visitor gives special instruction to the mother on the care of the baby.