Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the public health and sanitary circumstances of Johannesburg.

  • Johannesburg (South Africa)
Date:
[1937]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the public health and sanitary circumstances of Johannesburg. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/52 (page 15)
    Breast Feeding.—Whilst the percentage of breast-fed infants has fallen slightlyr viz., from 84-3 per cent, in 1985-36 to 81-8 per cent, in the year under review, the percentage is still high. The decrease, if it can be attributed to any particular factor, might readily be ascribed to the importunities of artificial food merchants and the passivity of many medical men, who ought to know better, and possibly to the necessities of poor mothers who are increasingly becoming wage earners. It is most certainly not due to the teachings of the Welfare Staff of the Department, who consistently not only advocate but do their utmost to ensure breast feeding. STAFF AND CLINICS. The Council now employs one Senior Health Visitor, nine Health Visitors for European post-natal clinics, one Health Visitor for native clinics (with ten native qualified midwives), one Health Visitor for coloured clinics, and one Health Visitor for an Asiatic clinic, plus one Relieving Health Visitor. Expenditure on pasteurised milk, acidophilus milk and accessory foods for infants and mothers keeps on increasing and now amounts to the formidable total of approximately £4,000 per annum. So far as the Ante-Natal Clinics held twice weekly at the New Market Clinic Building are concerned, it is interesting to note that the attendances continue to increase, viz., 3,015 in 1936-37 as against 2,575 in 1935-86. In this connection your M.O.H. desires to record his appreciation of the services of the Council’s Specialist Obstetric Officers, Dr. W. H. Maxwell and Dr. F. Iv. te Water, and also of the services of your Pediatric Officers, Dr. B. G. v. B. Melle and Dr. A. E. Strawbaun at your Post-Natal Clinics. The nett position to-day is that the Council provides weekly: — 1. Six Post-Natal Clinics for Europeans. 2. Four Post-Natal Clinics for Natives. 3. Two Post-Natal Clinics for Coloured Persons. 4. One Post-Natal Clinic for Asiatics. 5. Two Ante-Natal Clinics for Europeans. Finally, your M.O.H. desires to record his appreciation of the loyal services of ail members of this branch of his Department. Pre-school Children.—Six Nursery Health classes were conducted by Miss Brosius, the Senior Supervisor, and her assistants in Brixton (to January, 1937), Vrededorp, Jeppes, Ophirton, Newlands, Fordsburg and Turffontein (from April, 1937). These classes were well attended and an interesting development is the holding of instructional classes for the mothers of the pre-school children attend¬ ing the nursery classes. The mothers receive valuable advice from the Supervisor in the up-bringing of their pre-school children and it is gratifying to note that the mothers are extraordinarly keen to learn and put in practice the advice given. All the children are regularly examined by the Pediatric Officer and their mental condition and development is attended to by the Council’s Psychiatrist (Dr. F. F. du Toit). The Psychiatrist also gives a course of instruction in Psychology and Psychiatry to the Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors of these classes. The children attending these classes, all of whom are the children of indigent parents and between two and six years of age, are given simple health exercises and are instructed in such simple hygienic measures as head and body cleanliness, teeth cleaning, etc., etc., interspersed with occupational instruction, games, physical exercises and general kindergarten. They receive a daily ration of one-third of a pint of pasteurised milk and are weighed and have their body measurements taken at regular and frequent intervals. Dental care of pre-school children is a particular object. All pire-sekool children attending the Nursery Health Classes are taken by the Supervisor to the Dental Section of the School Clinic. The sight of these toddlers going gaily in our motor-van with the Supervisor to the School Clinic, and at the Clinic opening their small mouths to the sympathetic dental officers without the smallest qualm is a spectacle which requires to be seen to be realised and is a tribute to their faith in their Supervisors and the kindliness of the dental officers.